Eye Conditions

Vernal conjunctivitis (vernal conjunctivitis) most often affects children and adolescents. It is characterized by intense itching in both eyes, large, flat papillae on the palpebral conjunctiva, and gelatinous conjunctival hypertrophy near the limbus. Based on the site of the lesions, it is classified as the palpebral conjunctival, bulbar conjunctival, or mixed type. In Traditional Chinese…

Dry eye is a disease characterized by tear film instability and/or ocular surface damage caused by abnormalities in the quantity or quality of tears or in tear fluid dynamics, resulting in ocular discomfort and visual dysfunction. Following discussions by the U.S. National Eye Institute Dry Eye Study Group in 1995, “dry eye” and “keratoconjunctivitis sicca”…

Herpes simplex keratitis (HSK) is a corneal disease caused by infection with herpes simplex virus type 1. The cornea may show dendritic, geographic, or disciform lesions. The virus can establish latent infection, and the disease may be prolonged and difficult to resolve. In severe cases, the iris may be affected, causing iritis and, in some…

Epidemic keratoconjunctivitis is characterized by marked conjunctival congestion and edema, numerous conjunctival follicles, and sometimes pseudomembrane formation and subconjunctival petechial hemorrhages, along with punctate infiltrates in the corneal epithelium. In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), this condition falls within the categories of “acute epidemic red eye with corneal opacity” (Tianxing Chiyan Baoyi) and “acute red eye…

Acute bacterial conjunctivitis (acute conjunctivitis) is an acute, contagious inflammation of the conjunctiva caused by bacterial infection and characterized by marked conjunctival redness and purulent or mucopurulent discharge. It is also called acute catarrhal conjunctivitis and is commonly known as “pink eye.” The incubation period is short, onset is rapid, and the condition is highly…

Blepharitis is a subacute or chronic inflammation of the skin of the eyelid margin, eyelash follicles, and associated glands, characterized by dryness, itching, stinging, and a foreign-body sensation. Clinically, it can be classified as squamous, ulcerative, or angular blepharitis. In traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), this condition falls within the categories of “red, ulcerated eyelid margins,”…

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) most commonly occurs in people over 50. It is characterized by pigment loss or proliferation in the macular region, drusen, choroidal neovascularization (CNV) in the macular region, retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) detachment, and recurrent macular hemorrhage, which may lead to reduced or lost vision. This condition is also known as senile…

Retinal vein occlusion (RVO) occurs when blood flow is impaired anywhere from the central retinal vein to the small retinal veins, causing hemorrhage, edema, and exudation in the corresponding retinal area. Clinically, it is commonly classified as central retinal vein occlusion, hemi-retinal vein occlusion, or branch retinal vein occlusion. In traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), this…

Retinal artery occlusion (RAO) is characterized by a sudden, marked decrease in vision or even loss of vision, extremely narrowed retinal arteries, and gray-white retinal edema. Depending on the degree and location of the occlusion, it may be classified as central retinal artery occlusion (CRAO), branch retinal artery occlusion (BRAO), cilioretinal artery occlusion, or precapillary…

Uveitis is a group of inflammatory conditions affecting the uvea that can have many different causes. In the past, the term was used narrowly to refer to inflammation of the iris, ciliary body, and choroid. It is now commonly used internationally in a broader sense to include inflammation of the uvea, retina, retinal blood vessels,…

Primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG), also known as chronic simple glaucoma, is a chronic, progressive optic neuropathy. Pathologically elevated intraocular pressure is an important factor contributing to optic nerve damage. Clinical features include progressive visual field narrowing and vision loss, accompanied by characteristic optic disc cupping and optic atrophy. It occurs mainly in middle-aged and older…

Primary angle-closure glaucoma (PACG) refers to acute or chronic elevation of intraocular pressure caused by primary angle closure, with or without glaucomatous optic disc changes and visual field loss. Based on clinical presentation, PACG is classified as acute angle-closure glaucoma or chronic angle-closure glaucoma. Its main clinical features include ocular distension and pain, headache, reduced…

Optic atrophy (OA) is a pathological concept and a morphological sequela referring to degenerative changes and necrosis of optic nerve fibers caused by axonal degeneration in the anterior visual pathway (the retinogeniculate pathway) due to various causes. Any disease—including trauma, ischemia, inflammation, toxicity, hereditary conditions, compression by orbital or intracranial masses, metabolic disorders, demyelinating lesions,…

Anterior ischemic optic neuropathy (AION) is characterized by sudden vision loss, optic disc edema, and a quadrant-shaped visual field defect connected to the physiologic blind spot. Clinically, it is classified into two types: non-arteritic AION (NAION) and arteritic AION (AAION). In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), anterior ischemic optic neuropathy falls within the category of “sudden…