Effect of Acupuncture on Intraocular Pressure in Glaucoma Patients: A Single‐Blinded, Randomized, Controlled Trial

Abstract

Glaucoma is characterized by the degeneration of retinal ganglion cells that cause progressive optic neuropathy, finally resulting in changes to the optic nerve head. Lowering intraocular pressure (IOP) is the only method proven for treating glaucoma. Several studies have discovered that acupuncture can reduce IOP and also increase ocular perfusion and ocular blood flow. Therefore, the present study investigated the effect of acupuncture on IOP in glaucoma patients. We conducted a single-blinded, randomized, controlled trial involving 45 glaucoma patients. The results indicated that the difference between the IOP 60 min after the intervention and IOP immediately before the intervention was greater in the acupuncture group (AG) and electroacupuncture group (EG) than in the sham group (SG) for all four of the interventions performed and in both eyes (all p<0.05). The IOP difference between immediately before the first intervention and after finishing the final intervention was also greater in the AG and EG than in the SG in both eyes (all p<0.05). In conclusion, IOP was reduced at 60 min after acupuncture or electroacupuncture was performed at BL1 and EX-HN7. Additionally, IOP was reduced after finishing four acupuncture or electroacupuncture sessions. Therefore, our results suggest that acupuncture and electroacupuncture are beneficial for lowering IOP in glaucoma patients. This trial is registered with NCT04157530.

Acupuncture at Jingming and Guangming Points Mainly Treats Adolescents with Ocular Hypertension

“…Studies have shown [6,7] that the imbalance of aqueous humor circulation is an important factor in the pathogenesis of OHT. Acupuncture can regulate the botanic nerve function, improve aqueous humor circulation and ocular blood perfusion, and directly reduce the aqueous humor flow and intraocular pressure through the long-term accumulation of distal and proximal points.…”

Acupuncture treatment of unregulated glaucoma in the eye of a patient with Adamantiades-Behҫet disease

“…Research has shown that acupuncture reduces IOP and increases retrobulbar blood flow. 3,4 The mechanism by which acupuncture reduces IOP is unclear. According to Chu et al, 5 endogenous opioids are detectable in the aqueous humor of the eye, along with their receptors, and are involved in the reduction of noradrenaline and dopamine levels in response to EA; EA-induced IOP reduction is blocked by naloxone.…”

Clinical Events Associated with Acupuncture Intervention for the Treatment of Chronic Inflammation Associated Disorders

“…The pulmonary side effects are pneumothorax and asthma. The inter-vention could even turn fatal by infections such as hepatitis B [64][65][66][67][68].…”