Logout 📊 Admin
🏠 Home

Strabismus (Crossed Eyes)

How Chinese medicine differentiates strabismus, the four patterns you'll actually meet in practice, and the points for each. Supportive care alongside ophthalmology management — acupuncture only, no herbs; gentle technique for children.

This page is educational, for practitioners and students — it is not a diagnostic tool and does not replace a proper in-person assessment. Strabismus needs a proper ophthalmology evaluation, especially sudden-onset deviation or double vision in an adult, which can signal a neurological problem — acupuncture here is supportive, not a substitute for that evaluation. In children, gentle acupressure or pediatric tuina is often preferred over needling.
General Acupuncture Points

Acupuncture points traditionally used for strabismus as supportive care — 8 key points, used across the patterns below rather than tied to just one.

PointKey action
BL-18Directly tonifies Liver Blood and regulates the eyes.
G.B.-20Dispels Wind, benefits the eyes.
P-6Calms the Shen and regulates blood flow.
ST-36Strengthens the Spleen to generate more Blood.
BL-20Directly strengthens Spleen function.
REN-12Regulates the middle burner, supports digestion.
BL-23Tonifies Kidney Essence and strengthens the lower back.
KI-3Source point, nourishes Essence and supports eye development.
L.I.-4Regulates Qi in the face and channels.
ST-2Local point directly below the eye, restores muscle function.
The Four Patterns

↑ reinforcing   ↓ reducing   ⊥ even method.

1. Liver Blood Deficiency View full pattern →

Clinical manifestations: Dry, gritty, or tired eyes, blurred or dim vision especially at night, pale face, lips, and brittle nails, dizziness or lightheadedness.
Tongue: Pale body, especially the sides, thin and slightly dry with thin white coating. Pulse: Fine and choppy, often wiry at left Guan.
Treatment principle: Nourish Liver Blood, soften and relax the sinews, brighten the eyes.
Note: moxa applicable on tonifying points. Direct match — the deck slide explicitly lists dry hair and pale complexion, the same nourishment-deficiency picture.

2. Spleen Qi Deficiency View full pattern →

Clinical manifestations: Eye deviation worsens with tiredness, poor appetite and loose stools, dull, pale, or yellowish complexion, fatigue and heaviness in the limbs.
Tongue: Pale, puffy, tender body with tooth marks, thin white coating. Pulse: Deficient, soft, and weak at right Guan.
Treatment principle: The Spleen governs flesh and muscles, including extraocular muscles — tonify Spleen Qi and drain dampness.
Note: moxa applicable on tonifying points. Direct match — poor appetite and loose stools are the same markers named on this site's Spleen-Qi deficiency slide.

3. Kidney Essence Deficiency View full pattern →

Clinical manifestations: Eye deviation present since early childhood, poor vision or thin refractive power, dizziness and weak lower back and knees, frequent nighttime urination or bedwetting, fatigue.
Tongue: Pale, thin body with little or no coating, possible fine cracks. Pulse: Deep, fine, and weak, especially at the rear.
Treatment principle: Nourish Kidney Yin and Essence, strengthening the foundation for eye muscle development.
Note: moxa applicable on tonifying points. Direct name match with this site's own Kidney-Essence deficiency slide.

4. Wind-Phlegm

Clinical manifestations: Sudden onset of eye deviation, double vision, restricted or limited eye movement, dizziness or spinning sensation, copious white, frothy sputum, chest stuffiness.
Tongue: Normal or slightly pale body, may be swollen with teeth marks, white greasy coating. Pulse: Wiry and slippery.
Treatment principle: Expel Wind, transform Phlegm, and unblock the channels supplying the eye muscles.
G.B.-20 ↓ L.I.-4 ↓ ST-2 ⊥ EX-HN-7 (Qiuhou) ↓
Note: no moxa. No deck on this site combines Wind with Phlegm into one slide, so no pattern link is given here.
Related conditions

Spot an error, or have more to add? Send it to admin on WhatsApp and it'll be corrected/added here.