Optic Atrophy
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, and other systemic diseases—that causes degenerative damage to retinal ganglion cells and their axons may lead to optic atrophy.
TCM Pattern Differentiation and Medication Reference
|Common Symptoms
Clinical description:
Blurred vision, with a large dark area obscuring the central visual field or a quadrant; irritability and low mood; bitter taste in the mouth and pain in the flanks; frequent sighing; tenderness on pressure over the eyeball or pulling pain when moving it; poor appetite; restless sleep; red tongue, thin white coating, wiry pulse.
In plain language:
- Things look blurry, with details and edges appearing unclear.
- A large shadow in the center of the visual field or in one quadrant obscures vision.
- You may feel irritable, distressed, or persistently low in mood.
- You may have a bitter taste in your mouth and pain or discomfort along the ribs.
- You may sigh frequently, especially when feeling emotionally tense.
- The eyeball may be painful when pressed, or you may feel pulling pain when moving the eye.
- You may have a poor appetite and little interest in food.
- Your sleep may be restless, making it difficult to sleep soundly.
- The tongue may appear red or bright red.
- The tongue coating may be thin and white.
- The pulse may feel tense and taut, like a plucked string.
|Treatment Approach
Clinical description:
Clear the Liver and disperse heat; promote qi circulation and blood flow.
In plain language:
- Disperse constrained heat in the Liver to ease red eyes, a bitter taste, flank distension and pain, and irritability.
- Promote the smooth movement of qi to ease fullness and distension in the chest and abdomen, belching, acid reflux, and the sensation of something stuck in the throat.
- Promote blood circulation and address blood stasis to ease stabbing or distending pain and purplish bruising under the skin.
|Related Formulas
The following products are provided for informational purposes only and do not constitute medical advice or a prescription. Refer to the product packaging and instructions, and use under the guidance of a physician or pharmacist.
|Common Symptoms
Clinical description:
Reduced or lost vision; headache and forgetfulness; insomnia with vivid dreams; dark-red tongue or petechiae, thin white coating, fine and choppy pulse or an irregular pulse with skipped beats.
In plain language:
- Vision may decline noticeably and, in severe cases, be completely lost.
- You may have a headache and reduced memory.
- You may have trouble falling asleep and experience frequent dreams or restless sleep.
- The tongue may appear dark red, with dark spots of blood stasis on its surface.
- The tongue coating may be thin and white.
- The pulse may feel fine and choppy, with an irregular rhythm or intermittent pauses.
|Treatment Approach
Clinical description:
Promote qi circulation and blood flow; replenish qi and open the channels.
In plain language:
- Promote the movement of constrained qi to ease fullness, tightness, and discomfort from belching.
- Promote blood circulation to ease stabbing or distending pain and purplish discoloration from blood stasis.
- Replenish qi and strengthen the body’s vital energy to support stamina and recovery.
- Promote the flow through the channels to ease numbness, stiffness, and pulling pain and improve mobility.
- Promote the movement of constrained qi to ease fullness, tightness, and discomfort from belching.
- Promote blood circulation to ease stabbing or distending pain and purplish discoloration from blood stasis.
- Replenish qi and strengthen the body’s vital energy to support stamina and recovery.
- Promote the flow through the channels to ease numbness, stiffness, and pulling pain and improve mobility.
|Related Formulas
The following products are provided for informational purposes only and do not constitute medical advice or a prescription. Refer to the product packaging and instructions, and use under the guidance of a physician or pharmacist.
|Common Symptoms
Clinical description:
Dim, blurred vision in both eyes, with shadows obscuring vision and gradual progression to blindness; dry eyes; dizziness and tinnitus; soreness in the lower back and weakness in the limbs; night sweats; vexing heat; seminal emission; dry stools; red tongue, thin white coating, fine or fine and rapid pulse.
In plain language:
- Vision in both eyes may look dim or hazy overall.
- Shadows may obstruct your vision.
- The condition may gradually worsen until vision is lost.
- Both eyes may feel dry and uncomfortable.
- You may have dizziness and tinnitus.
- You may have lower back soreness and weakness in the limbs.
- You may sweat at night.
- You may feel restless and hot.
- You may experience seminal emission.
- You may have dry, hard stools.
- The tongue may appear red.
- The tongue coating may be thin and white.
- The pulse may feel fine and weak, or fine and relatively rapid.
|Treatment Approach
Clinical description:
Nourish and replenish the Liver and Kidneys; open the orifices and support vision.
In plain language:
- Nourish Liver and Kidney essence, blood, and energy to ease soreness and weakness in the lower back and knees, dizziness, tinnitus, and fatigue.
- Promote clarity of mind and sensory function to support clearer thinking and steadier responses.
- Support nourishment of the eyes and visual clarity to ease dryness, soreness, distension, and blurred vision.
|Related Formulas
The following products are provided for informational purposes only and do not constitute medical advice or a prescription. Refer to the product packaging and instructions, and use under the guidance of a physician or pharmacist.
|Common Symptoms
Clinical description:
Gradually declining vision, eventually leading to blindness; dull complexion; fatigue and lack of energy; reluctance to speak; palpitations and shortness of breath; poor appetite; pale lips and nails; pale tongue, thin white coating, fine and weak pulse.
In plain language:
- Vision gradually declines, and things look increasingly blurry.
- Over time, the condition may progress to complete vision loss.
- Your complexion may look pale and dull.
- You may feel tired, drowsy, and lacking in energy.
- You may speak little and feel reluctant to talk.
- You may experience palpitations and shortness of breath.
- Your appetite may be significantly reduced, and you may eat little.
- Your lips and nails may look pale.
- Your tongue may appear pale.
- The tongue may have a thin white coating.
- The pulse may feel fine and weak.
|Treatment Approach
Clinical description:
Replenish qi and nourish the blood; calm the mind and open the orifices.
In plain language:
- Support energy and blood nourishment to ease shortness of breath, fatigue, pale complexion, dizziness, and palpitations.
- Help settle the mind and support sleep to ease restlessness, forgetfulness, vivid dreams, and palpitations.
- Promote mental clarity and clearer vision and hearing, and address difficulty concentrating and slow responses.
|Related Formulas
The following products are provided for informational purposes only and do not constitute medical advice or a prescription. Refer to the product packaging and instructions, and use under the guidance of a physician or pharmacist.
References
- Sun Baochen. Clinical Low Vision [M]. Qingdao: Qingdao Publishing House, 1989: 8–12.
- Hansen E, Flage T, Rasenberg T, et al. Visual impairment Nordic children. III: diagnoses [J]. Acta Ophthalmol, Copenh, 1992 (70): 597–604.
- Wei Qiping, Zhuang Zengyuan, Gao Jiansheng, et al. Analysis of the causes and treatment outcomes of optic atrophy in adults [J]. Chinese Journal of Chinese Ophthalmology, 2000, 10(3): 153–156.
- Ge Jian. National Higher Education Medical Planning Textbook: Ophthalmology [M]. Beijing: Higher Education Press, 2004: 169.
- Zhang Xiaojun. Further improving the diagnosis of optic atrophy [J]. Ophthalmology, 2011, 20(6): 364–366.
- Wei Qiping. Greater attention should be paid to optic atrophy [J]. Chinese Journal of Chinese Ophthalmology, 2011, 21(1): 1–3.
- Wei Shihui, Zhang Xiulan. A proper understanding of the therapeutic value of treatment for optic atrophy [J]. Chinese Journal of Ophthalmology, 2012, 48(12): 1057–1060.