Diabetic Retinopathy

How Chinese medicine differentiates diabetic retinopathy, the four patterns you'll actually meet in practice, and the points for each. Acupuncture only — no herbs, and only as supportive care alongside ophthalmology monitoring.

This page is educational, for practitioners and students — it is not a diagnostic tool and does not replace a proper in-person assessment. Diabetic retinopathy needs regular ophthalmology monitoring and blood-sugar management; acupuncture here is supportive care, not a substitute for that monitoring. Sudden vision loss needs urgent medical evaluation.

General Acupuncture Points

Acupuncture points traditionally used for diabetic retinopathy — 10 key points, used across the patterns below rather than tied to just one.

Point	Key action
KI-3	Tonifies the Kidneys (Yin and Yang), benefits Essence.
KI-6	Nourishes Kidney-Yin, clears deficiency Heat.
SP-6	Strengthens the Spleen, nourishes Blood and Yin.
BL-1	Expels Wind, clears Heat, brightens the eyes.
ST-36	Benefits Stomach and Spleen, tonifies Qi and Blood.
SP-10	Cools Blood, invigorates Blood and eliminates stasis.
LR-3	Subdues Liver-Yang, promotes the smooth flow of Liver-Qi, invigorates Blood.
BL-23	Tonifies the Kidneys and nourishes Kidney-Essence.
Du-4	Tonifies Kidney-Yang and warms the Gate of Life. Expels Cold.
Ren-4	Nourishes Blood and Yin. Strengthens the Kidneys and Original Qi.
G.B.-37	Brightens the eyes, conducts Fire downward.

The Four Patterns

↑ reinforcing ↓ reducing ⊥ even method.

1. Empty-Heat or Fire caused by Yin Deficiency View full pattern →

Clinical manifestations: Dry, gritty eyes and blurred vision; night sweats and warm palms and soles; thirst with a desire for small sips of water; tiny dot hemorrhages or microaneurysms on eye exam.

Tongue: Red (especially tip and sides) with little or no coating. Pulse: Thready and rapid.

Treatment principle: Nourish Yin, clear deficiency Heat, cool Blood, generate fluids.

KI-3 ↑ KI-6 ↑ SP-6 ↑ BL-1 ⊥

Note: no moxa. Direct match with Kidney-Yin deficiency, Empty-Heat blazing — night sweats and warm palms/soles are shared.

2. Qi and Yin Deficiency

Clinical manifestations: Gradual blurring of vision, worse when tired; persistent fatigue and lack of strength; a dry mouth with little desire to drink; spontaneous daytime or night sweats; shortness of breath on exertion.

Tongue: Red or pale-red body, thin or absent coating, may be cracked and dry. Pulse: Fine (thin) and weak, possibly rapid.

Treatment principle: Tonify Qi and Yin, strengthen Spleen function, nourish the retinal vessels.

ST-36 ↑ SP-6 ↑ KI-3 ↑

Note: no moxa (Yin deficiency). No deck on this site combines Qi and Yin deficiency into one slide, so no pattern link is given here.

3. Blood Stagnation View full pattern →

Clinical manifestations: Retinal hemorrhages (dot, blot, or flame-shaped); hard exudates in the retina; a fixed, dull ache or pressure behind the eye; vision loss or visual field defects.

Tongue: Dark purple or dusky body with stasis spots, distended dark sublingual veins, thin white coat. Pulse: Choppy like a knife scraping bamboo, possibly wiry.

Treatment principle: Invigorate Blood, dispel stasis, unblock collaterals.

SP-10 ↓ SP-6 ↓ LR-3 ↓ BL-1 ⊥

Note: no moxa. Matches Liver-Blood stasis — a dark purple/dusky tongue with stasis spots is the same discoloration marker named there.

4. Deficiency of Both the Kidney Yin and Yang

Clinical manifestations: Severe vision loss with risk of vitreous hemorrhage; a cold, aching lower back and weak knees; alternating chills and hot flushes; deep fatigue and lack of vitality; frequent nighttime urination; loose stools or early-morning diarrhea.

Tongue: Pale, puffy-tender body with teeth marks and cracks, thin white coat that may be partially peeled. Pulse: Deep, fine, weak, especially at the Chi positions.

Treatment principle: Warm and tonify Kidney-Yang while nourishing Kidney-Yin, restoring core vitality to support retinal repair.

Warm Yang

BL-23 ↑ Du-4 ↑

Nourish Yin

Ren-4 ↑ KI-3 ↑ G.B.-37 ⊥

Note: moxa applicable on the Warm-Yang points only. No deck on this site has a combined Kidney-Yin-and-Yang-deficiency category, so no pattern link is given here.

Related conditions

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