The therapeutic effect of Chinese medicine on optic nerve atrophy

  Optic nerve atrophy is a degenerative atrophy of the retinal ganglion cells and axons caused by a variety of causes. The clinical diagnosis is based on the characteristic changes: pale color of the optic disc and impairment of visual function. The disease is an independent disease and the end result of multiple eye diseases, and its condition is serious, belongs to the late stage of the disease process, and is difficult to treat.  The clinical manifestations of optic nerve atrophy are: gradual loss of visual acuity in one or both eyes, abnormal direct pupillary light reflex in the affected anterior segment, pale color of the optic papilla or other pathological changes in the fundus, and peripheral centripetal narrowing of the visual field or a predominantly central dark spot.  The cause of primary optic nerve atrophy is often unknown, but it is often related to the disorders of the internal organs and meridians, and through conditioning, the visual function of some patients is quickly restored. The formula is often the first choice. When the vision can no longer be improved by taking tonics, then nourish as appropriate, either by tonifying Qi and Blood or by tonifying Liver and Kidney. The representative formulas for nourishing the qi and blood are Bajhen Tang and Dajin Ginseng and Astragalus Pill (Radix et Rhizoma Ginseng, Radix Astragali, Atractylodes Macrocephala, Poria, Radix Rehmanniae, Radix Angelicae Sinensis, Rhizoma Chuanxiong, Radix Paeoniae Alba, Fructus Lycii, Dendrobium, Calamus); the representative formulas for nourishing the liver and kidneys are Qiju Dihuang Pill and Ten Whole Bright Eyes Soup (Radix Rehmanniae, Fructus Lycii, Mulberry, Tribulus Terrestris, Raspberry, Broussonetia, Fructus Chasteensis, Semen Cuscutae, Semen Cassiae, Plantago ovata).  As long as the optic nerve is not completely atrophied, the possibility of recovery of visual function is still relatively high. For secondary optic nerve atrophy, the main treatment is to address the primary disease. In clinical reports, in addition to the treatment of tonics, there are also cases in which the effect is achieved by using drugs that diarrhea the liver, detoxify or break the stasis. Treatment must be analyzed on a patient-by-patient basis.  Acupuncture therapy, which has the ability to unblock meridians and regulate qi and blood, has special therapeutic effects. Commonly used acupuncture points are eye-mind, ball back, Fengchi, pension, kidney, liver, arm, foot Sanli, foot bright, Sanyinjiao, etc., far and near together, each time choose 3-4 points, moderate stimulation, once a day, stay for 30 minutes, 10 times for a course of treatment. Acupuncture therapy also includes plum blossom acupuncture, ear acupuncture, head acupuncture, acupuncture point buried thread, acupuncture point injection and many other elements.  Ear acupuncture points can be selected from the eye, eye 1, eye 2, liver, kidney, subcortical, sympathetic, etc., ear acupuncture patch twice a week, 10 times for a course of treatment; head acupuncture to take the visual area, daily or every other day, 10 times for a course of treatment; electro-acupuncture is the combined effect of the acupuncture effect of the milli-needle and the physiological effect of electrical stimulation to enhance the therapeutic effect. Different acupuncture points can be selected, once a day, 20 minutes each time, 10 times a course of treatment. Acupuncture points such as Liver Yu, Kidney Yu, Arm, Bright, etc., buried in lamb’s intestine thread, 2-3 weeks once, 3 times for a course of treatment; acupuncture point injection can be used compound Dan Shen injection, compound Angelica injection, etc., Liver Yu, Kidney Yu, Arm, Bright and other points can be used, each time to take double points, in turn, 15 times for a course of treatment.