bubble_chart Concept

Myopia is the feeling of the pulse with fingertips. It is not an illness in itself, but rather a condition where one can see clearly up close but has blurred vision at a distance.

During the Sui Dynasty, the "Zhubing Yuanhou Lun" already documented the inability to see far. The "Zhengzhi Zhunsheng" and the "Seven Orifices" chapter referred to it as "myopia." By the Qing Dynasty, the "Mujing Dacheng" began to simply call it "myopia." The "Shenshi Yaohan" once stated: "This condition does not refer to congenital myopia that is incurable. Rather, it refers to those who previously had no issues with farsightedness but suddenly developed myopia and lost the ability to see far." Therefore, congenital myopia is not within the scope of this discussion.

bubble_chart Pattern Analysis

1. Qi Deficiency with Mental Injury︰Can see myopia but not farsightedness, with excessive dreams at night, trance-like forgetfulness, restlessness, and physical fatigue. The tongue coating is thin and white, and the pulse is thin and weak. Mostly caused by internal damage due to overstrain, reading fine print under lamplight, excessive strain on the eyes, which consumes qi and injures the spirit. When the spirit is injured and qi is depleted, yang fire cannot rise, leading to unclear farsightedness. Often accompanied by symptoms such as physical fatigue, restlessness, excessive dreaming at night, and trance-like forgetfulness. Treatment should focus on tonifying qi and nourishing the heart, tranquilizing the spirit and calming the mind. The recommended formula is Mind-Stabilizing Pill.
2. Liver and Kidney Deficiency︰Blurred vision, unclear myopia, occasional dark spots, which may develop into internal visual obstruction over time. It may be accompanied by soreness and weakness in the waist and knees, impotence, seminal emission, dribbling urination, a pale tongue, and a thin, weak pulse. This condition is often caused by excessive mental strain, unrestrained sexual activity, sudden anger, or deficiency of liver and kidney essence qi. Insufficient essence fails to generate qi, and insufficient qi cannot nourish the divine light, resulting in myopia but not farsightedness. Additional symptoms may include soreness and weakness in the waist and knees, impotence, seminal emission, dribbling urination, and a weak pulse. The treatment should focus on nourishing water to moisten wood and benefiting the eyes, using the Kidney-Tonifying Magnetite Pill. If qi deficiency is present, add Astragalus Root and Tangshen.

Human farsightedness relies on divine light, which originates from the life gate, connects to the gallbladder, and emanates from the heart, all of which are functions of fire. As Cishi Nanzhi said, "Those who can see myopia are responsible for having water, and those who cannot see farsightedness are responsible for lacking fire." Therefore, although myopia can be divided into qi deficiency and liver-kidney depletion, in treatment, it is necessary to appropriately supplement yang qi to achieve effectiveness.

bubble_chart Documentation

1. Yinhai Jingwei: "Question: Why can one have myopia but not farsightedness? Answer: It is due to blood deficiency and insufficient qi."