Key Diagnostic Points:

• The onset of the diseases is acute. There is subjective itching with photophobia, stabbing pain, lacrimation, the sensation of a foreign body in the eye, and burning sensations.
• In the early and mild case, it's marked by slight swelling of the eyelid, severe congestion of the palpebral conjunctiva and the fornix (inside of eyelids) and mild congestion of the bulbar conjunctiva (thin protective coating over sclera). Additionally, there can be a sticky secretion.
• Features of a severe case include palpebral redness and swelling, obvious congestion of bulbar conjunctiva possibly accompanied with petechial hemorrhages and increase of mucus secretions at the inner canthus.
• Usually, conjunctivitis will reach its climax in 3 to 4 days, and then it will be relieved and recover in about 10 to 14 days.
• This is a kind of acute infectious opthalmopathy due to bacterial or viral infection. It's mainly characterized by an highly infectious condition and obvious conjunctival congestion.

Differential Diagnosis:

Wind heat syndrome: Redness, swelling and pain of the eye. Lacrimation, copious eye secretion, sometimes accompanied by headache, and fever.

Tongue: Red
Pulse: Floating and rapid

Exuberance of fire in the Liver and G.B. channels: Redness, swelling and pain of the eye. Copious eye secretion, bitter taste in the mouth, constipation, dizziness, headache, irritability, and easily angered.

Tongue: Red with yellow, greasy coat
Pulse: Wiry and slippery

Treatment Principle:

Disperse wind heat, clear off the fire, brighten the eyes.

Point and Technique Prescription:

GB 20 (reduce) Crossing point of the hand and foot Shao Yang channels and Yang Wei channel. Disperses wind heat, clears off the fire from the Liver and Gallbladder. Yang Wei channel is especially good for dispersing exterior diseases.

UB 1 (reduce)
Tai Yang (reduce)
These two local points disperse the locally accumulated heat.

Ear Acupuncture Points:
Eye point, eye 1, eye 2, and Liver point. Give strong stimulation. The Ear Apex point may also be pricked and bled.

For Wind heat, add:

SJ 5 (reduce) The Luo connecting point of San Jiao channel of Hand Shao Yang, is used to clear wind-heat away from the head and eyes.

L.I. 4 (reduce)
L.I. 11 (reduce)
These points clear heat and fire.

For exuberance of fire in the Liver and GB, add:

Liv 2 (reduce) Ying spring for febrile diseases.
GB 43 (reduce) Ying spring for febrile diseases.
These two points can conduct the heat and fire downward so as to remove heat and fire from the Liver and GB.

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