Allergic Conjunctivitis

How Chinese medicine differentiates allergic conjunctivitis, the four patterns you'll actually meet in practice, and the points for each. Acupuncture only — no herbs.

This page is educational, for practitioners and students — it is not a diagnostic tool and does not replace a proper in-person assessment. Eye pain, vision changes, or discharge that doesn't fit a simple allergic picture needs an eye-care evaluation before assuming it is allergic conjunctivitis.

General Acupuncture Points

Acupuncture points traditionally used for allergic conjunctivitis — 8 key points, used across the patterns below rather than tied to just one.

Point	Key action
G.B.-20	Expels exterior Wind, subdues Liver-Yang, brightens the eyes.
L.I.-4	Expels exterior Wind, benefits the eyes, nose, ears and mouth.
BL-1	Expels Wind, clears Heat, stops itching, brightens the eyes.
SP-9	Regulates the Spleen, resolves Dampness, benefits urination.
ST-36	Tonifies Qi and Blood, tonifies Stomach and Spleen.
BL-18	Resolves Damp-Heat, brightens the eyes, nourishes and invigorates Liver-Blood.
BL-2	Expels Wind, clears Heat, brightens the eyes, subdues Liver-Yang.

The Four Patterns

↑ reinforcing ↓ reducing ⊥ even method.

1. Wind-Heat View full pattern →

Clinical manifestations: Sudden, intense itching with burning sensation; red, swollen eyes, sometimes with sticky yellow discharge; aversion to wind and warmth; slight fever or chills; thirst with desire for cool fluids.

Tongue: Red tip and edges with thin yellow coating. Pulse: Floating and rapid.

Treatment principle: Dispel Wind-Heat from the upper body and eyes.

G.B.-20 ↓ L.I.-4 ↓ EX-HN-5 (Taiyang) ↓ BL-1 ↓

Note: no moxa. Matched on the exterior-invasion level to Invasion of Lungs by Wind-Heat — same aversion-to-wind, fever, floating-rapid pulse picture used for Styes/Otitis Media/Blepharitis.

2. Damp-Wind

Clinical manifestations: Eyelid redness and swelling; small papules or vesicles along the lid margin; sticky, sometimes weeping discharge; sensation of heaviness in eyes/head; itching worse in damp/humid weather.

Tongue: Normal or slightly swollen body with white, greasy coating, moist surface. Pulse: Floating and slippery, or soggy.

Treatment principle: Disperse Wind and stop itching while clearing Heat and draining Dampness.

G.B.-20 ↓ L.I.-4 ↓ SP-9 ↓ BL-1 ↓

Note: no moxa. No deck on this site combines Wind with Dampness in one eyelid-specific slide, so no pattern link is given here.

3. Blood Deficiency with External Wind

Clinical manifestations: Mild, intermittent itching paired with dry, gritty sensation; photophobia; blurred vision; worsening at night; pale complexion and pale or normal conjunctiva.

Tongue: Pale, thin body with thin white and slightly dry coating. Pulse: Fine overall, wiry on left Guan, may be floating superficially.

Treatment principle: Nourish Blood and moisten dryness while gently dispersing external Wind.

SP-6 ↑ ST-36 ↑ BL-18 ↑ EX-HN-5 (Taiyang) ⊥

Note: moxa applicable on the tonifying points. This site's Liver-Blood deficiency slide has no Wind component, so no pattern link is given here — same absence already found for Seborrheic Dermatitis and Athlete's Foot.

4. Wind-Cold View full pattern →

Clinical manifestations: Itching worse in cold and wind; aversion to cold, mild fever, no sweating; clear watery nasal discharge; stiff neck and upper back may accompany eye symptoms.

Tongue: Normal or slightly pale body with thin white moist coat. Pulse: Floating and tight.

Treatment principle: Warm and disperse Wind-Cold from the upper body and eyes.

G.B.-20 ↓ L.I.-4 ↓ BL-2 ↓

Note: moxa applicable. Direct match — the deck slide's aversion to cold, no sweating, clear watery discharge mirror the source exactly.

Related conditions

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