Acupressure Auricular

OBJECTIVE: To observe the clinical effedt of auricular pressure combined with Chinese herbal medicine for amblyopia.

METHODS: A total of 66 child patients with amblyopia were randomly divided into Chinese herbal medicine (control) and herbal medicine+ auricular pressure (treatment) groups, with 33 patients in each group. The patients in the control group were treated with Chinese medical herbs as Danggui (Radix Angelicae Sinensis), Gouqizi (Fructus Lycii), Baijuhua (Flos Chrysanthemi), Baizhu (Rhizoma Atractylodis Macrocephalae), Shudi (Radix Rehmanniae Proeparata), Baishao (Radix Paeoniae Alba) , etc. according to syndrome differentiation, while the patients in the treatment group were treated by auricular pressure of otopoints Yan (Eye), Gan (Liver), Shen (Kidney), Xin (Heart), Mu 1 (Eye-1), Mu 2(Eye-2), and Pi (Spleen) and herbal medicines (being the same to the control group). The treatment was conducted for 6 months. After the treatment, the clinical effect, improvement degree of vision, onset time of improvement, and recurrence rate in the 3 and 6 months' follow-up visit were analyzed.

RESULTS: Of the 45 and 47 eyes in the treatment and control groups, 22 and 15 were basically cured, 12 and 5 had marked improvement, 9 and 20 were improved, 2 and 7 failed in the treatment, with the effective rates being 75. 56% and 42.55%, respectively. In comparison with pre-treatment, the visual acuity in both control group and treatment group were improved (P<0. 05). The numbers of children who had improvement of visual acuity after 2 weeks, one month in the control group and treatment group were 26 and 31 eyes, 10 and 11 eyes, respectively. The recurrence rate 6 months after the treatment was 50. 00 % in the control group and 16. 28% in the treatment group. The effective rate of the treatment group was significantly superior to that of the control group (P<0. 05).

CONCLUSION: Auricular pressure combined with Chinese medical herb treatment is effective in improving visual acuity, and had a higher efficacy, faster action, and lower recurrence rate in amblyopia children in comparison with simple herbal medicine treatment.