Effects of Acupuncture Therapy on Myopia of Children

• Published in: Zen Nihon Shinkyu Gakkai zasshi (Journal of the Japan Society of Acupuncture and Moxibustion) Vol. 47; no. 2; pp. 49 - 55
• Main Authors: OHYAMA, Yoshiki, SASAKI, Kazuro, NAKAMURA, Tatsuzou
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: Japanese
• Published: The Japan Society of Acupuncture and Moxibustion 1997
• Subjects: acupuncture therapy; diopter; myopia; visual acuity
• ISSN: 0285-9955; 1882-661X
• DOI: 10.3777/jjsam.47.49

The effects of acupuncture treatment were investigated in 292 patients (140 males and 152 females, average 9. 6 ± 1. 7 (S. D.) age) who complained of reduced visual acuity, including school boys and girls (6-12 age). Acupuncture treatment involved leaving the needle inplace for 15min, after inserting to a depth of 10-15mm from the skin surface. The vital points ; Taiyo (Ex-HN5), Fuchi (GB-20), Syokyu (ST-1) and Goukoku (L1-4) were the basic points used for acupuncture therapy with Ganen (GB-4), Sanchiku (BL-2), Zui (ST-8) or Kyokuchi (LI-11) as supplemental points depending on individual symptoms. These acupuncture treatments improved the mean acuity by 0.26 in the right eye and 0.22 in the left. Analysis of these results indicated that acupuncture treatment caused significant improvement of vlsual acuity (p<0.01). Therefore, acupuncture therapy was considered an effective treatment that improved regulation of the ciliary muscle and the pupillary myosis system.