Dry eye syndrome affects patients with symptoms such as dryness, fatigue, foreign body sensation, and blurred vision, significantly impacting their quality of life. If left untreated, it can lead to corneal damage and even vision problems. This issue is particularly severe for patients with Sjögren's syndrome, an autoimmune disease where the immune system attacks the lacrimal and salivary glands, causing symptoms like dry eyes and dry mouth. Statistics show that over 80% of patients experience these symptoms, with women aged 45 to 55 being the most affected.
Dr. Zhang Qingmao, director of the Chinese Medicine Department at Taipei Veterans General Hospital, and his research team have been actively exploring integrated treatments combining traditional Chinese and Western medicine to help patients. Their clinical studies on dry eye syndrome and Sjögren's syndrome have yielded promising results. A randomized double-blind trial of a traditional Chinese medicine formula called "SS-1" demonstrated significant improvement in tear secretion. Additionally, a clinical trial using the herbal tea blend "Chun Yu Qing Hua Yin" showed that the formula reduced patients' dependency on artificial tears, alleviated dry eye symptoms, and improved sleep quality.
Use Artificial Tears to Relieve Discomfort (Image Courtesy of Heho Health)
In October 2024, the team's research was published in the official journal of the Asia Pacific League of Associations for Rheumatology, the International Journal of Rheumatic Diseases, affirming the potential of traditional Chinese medicine in treating dry eye syndrome and Sjögren's syndrome. The team further conducted an acupuncture therapy trial on 100 patients with dry eye syndrome and Sjögren's syndrome, targeting Fengchi (GB20) and Zanzhu (BL2) acupoints. Results showed that tear secretion significantly increased after each 15-minute session, with symptoms effectively relieved. After eight weeks of treatment, the effects stabilized, and patients almost stopped relying on artificial tears, with daily usage dropping from 9.36 times to 0.37 times. This greatly improved their quality of life.
Dr. Zhang emphasized that integrating Chinese and Western medicine has achieved groundbreaking progress in the treatment of chronic diseases. He encouraged patients not to give up on treatment, highlighting the complementary strengths of acupuncture and traditional Chinese medicine. Under rigorous scientific frameworks, combining these approaches can bring enhanced therapeutic effects and improved quality of life for patients with dry eye syndrome and Sjögren's syndrome. Dr. Zhang stated that the team will continue to conduct related research to bring new hope for dry eye syndrome treatments.
Dry Eye Syndrome May Also Be Due to 'Oil Deficiency'! Overusing Artificial Tears Can Lead to Dependency (Image Courtesy of Heho Health)
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