Dry Eyes

Dry Eyes

What is Dry Eye Syndrome?

You may experience dry eye syndrome if your eyes don’t produce enough tears, or if you’re not able to maintain a layer of tears to coat your eyes.  Although having dry eyes can be very uncomfortable, you’ll be glad to hear that dry eye syndrome rarely causes permanent vision damage.  Read on to find out more about dry eyes and how Chinese Medicine can help you treat them.

Dry Eyes Symptoms

If you suffer from dry eyes, you may also experience other symptoms, including:

  • Red eyes
  • A burning sensation in your eyes
  • Painful eyes
  • Blurry vision
  • Getting tired eyes
  • A heavy feeling in your eyes

Causes of Dry Eyes

Your tears are made from three main ingredients: oil, water, and mucus.  These are produced by glands near your eyes.  If there is a problem with these glands, they may not be able to produce enough oil, water, or mucus.  Any of these factors can lead to dry eyes.  Other causes of dry eye syndrome include:

dry eyes
  • Exposure to wind or dry air
  • Not blinking enough
  • Some medications, like antihistamines, birth control pills, and nasal decongestants
  • Allergies
  • Ageing
  • Eye surgery
  • Contact lenses

Treatment for Dry Eyes

dry eyes

Dry eyes can be treated relatively easily in most cases.  Your eye specialist or doctor may recommend different treatment options for you, depending on your preference and the severity of your condition.  Using artificial tears or eye drops are two of the most common treatments for dry eyes.

To start with, why not try some easy lifestyle adjustments to help prevent getting dry eyes?  Limiting your exposure to dry air by using a humidifier or reducing time in an air-conditioned room or in front of a heater can help.  You could also try reducing screen time, avoiding cigarette smoke, and wearing proactive eye wear in windy situations.

If you wear contact lenses, try using the soft ones rather than the hard ones.  The soft variety tend to stay moist more effectively than the harder contact lenses.  If possible, try not to wear your contacts for long periods of time.

Other treatments for dry eye syndrome include medications, and in some cases surgery.  Cyclosporine (Restasis) is a common medication for dry eyes.  This anti-inflammatory medication helps to increase your tear production.  Lacrimal plugs are another option, which can be reversible or permanent (in the case of surgery).  These plugs block the drainage holes in your eyes, helping to keep your eyes hydrated.  

How Can Chinese Medicine Help?

Chinese Medicine for Dry Eyes

Having dry eyes can be annoying and can really make your life difficult.  To treat dry eyes naturally, come along to our Chinese Medicine clinic, Centre of Balance!  Chinese Medicine is a great treatment option for dry eyes, as it addresses the underlying health problem that is causing your symptoms.  This means that it’s a long-term, holistic treatment option.  Another benefit of using Chinese Medicine to treat dry eye syndrome is that Chinese Medicine rarely presents the risk of side effects.

Acupuncture is an important technique in Chinese Medicine.  During your acupuncture session, your Chinese Medicine practitioner inserts very thin needles into specific points on your body.  A qualified acupuncturist can use this technique to balance out the flow of energy through your body, mitigating any blockages which can affect your eye health.  Researchers have found that acupuncture can help to heal dry eye syndrome, as shown in the following quote:

“This suggests a true treatment effect of acupuncture rather than a placebo effect. Acupuncture can, therefore, be an effective adjunct to routine clinical treatment of dry eye.”

To find out more about Chinese Medicine and eye problems, click here.

Conclusion

Dry eye syndrome can occur when your eyes cannot maintain a proper layer of tears.  This may be due to many different reasons, including eye problems that affect tear production, and external factors such as contact lenses or exposure to dry environments.  You can easily treat dry eyes most of the time, through strategies like using eye drops, avoiding dry air, and limiting the amount of time you spend wearing contact lenses or looking at screens.  However, if you’d like a holistic, effective treatment for dry eyes, come down to Centre of Balance! 

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[read more]

Badii, C. & Robinson, D. (2020, July 6). Dry Eye Syndrome. Healthline. https://www.healthline.com/health/dry-eye-syndrome

Centre of Balance: Acupuncture & Chinese Medicine (n.d.). Archive for category: Acupuncture for Eye Problems. https://balancetcm.co.nz/category/acupuncture-for-eye-problems/

Centre of Balance: Acupuncture & Chinese Medicine (n.d.).  Would You Like to Experience More Energy, & Less Stress & Pain? https://balancetcm.co.nz/

Dhaliwal, D. K., Zhou, S., Samudre, S. S., Lo, N. J., & Rhee, M. K. (2019). Acupuncture and dry eye: Current perspectives. A double-blinded randomized controlled trial and review of the literature. Clinical Ophthalmology, 13, 731–740. https://doi.org/10.2147/OPTH.S175321

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Monica

I am originally from Hebei province in China. I hold a NZ bachelor’s degree of health and science with a major in acupuncture. I am honoured to be an acupuncturist at Centre of Balance. Helping patients to alleviate their pain brings me the greatest joy. Chinese medicine emphasises the unity of human beings and nature. During the treatment, I hope to not only relieve your pain but also help you to understand the principles behind acupuncture’s effectiveness, as well as the significant impact of diet, emotions, lifestyle habits, and living environments on disease recovery. Self-healing is an ability that our bodies are naturally endowed with.

I studied acupuncture in New Zealand and completed one and a half years of supervised clinical internship before graduating. In the early stage of my training, I mainly worked with patients experiencing neck, shoulder, and lower back pain. Under the guidance of senior clinical tutors, I gradually developed hands-on experience and confidence in treating musculoskeletal pain conditions.
As my clinical exposure expanded, I began treating a wider range of internal conditions. Alongside traditional acupuncture, I was introduced to Umbilical Acupuncture and Tungs-acupuncture Points. What interested me most about these approaches is that they often do not require needling directly at the painful area, yet can still achieve very effective results.
I was especially inspired by observing my supervisor use Umbilical Acupuncture to treat common conditions such as insomnia, menstrual irregularities, and even rheumatoid arthritis, with very positive outcomes. Another supervisor was highly skilled in Tungs-acupuncture Points and achieved excellent results in treating pain, infertility, menstrual disorders, and a variety of women’s health conditions. After completing my studies and entering clinical practice, once I observed Dr. Szenan Phua using Tungs-acupuncture points to help cancer patients relieve pain, which further strengthened my trust in this treatment method.
I later completed training in Dr. Tan Balance Acupuncture, which had a strong influence on the way I approach treatment. One of the most noticeable features of this method is how quickly patients often feel improvement, especially with pain conditions. Dr. Szenan Phua’s New Balance Acupuncture combines meridian regulation with structural adjustment and internal organ balancing, including techniques such as pulse balancing and spinal adjustment.
From my clinical experience, pain is rarely just a local issue. It often involves underlying organ weakness or structural imbalance. When these aspects are addressed together, treatment can be more thorough and longer-lasting. I also apply this approach to internal conditions, particularly in fertility and women’s health. This includes supporting natural conception, IVF preparation and embryo transfer, pregnancy support, early-pregnancy nausea, and late-pregnancy labour induction. I combine these treatments with concepts learned from a few additional fertility training, which has given me a broader and more flexible clinical perspective. This has reinforced my belief that acupuncture should be adapted to each individual rather than applied through fixed formulas.
Two other areas of study that have been very helpful in my clinical work are Tongue Diagnosis and Dr. Zhu’s Scalp Acupuncture. Although tongue diagnosis is taught in my standard Chinese medicine training, further study allowed me to deepen and refine my diagnostic skills.
My first formal training was in Li’s Tongue Diagnosis, which looks not only at organ patterns, but also at how different areas of the tongue reflect the body’s structure. This system also explores personality traits and changes during pregnancy, making it both clinically useful and engaging. I later attended online lectures on Yin’s Tongue Diagnosis and studied the related materials independently. this learning has helped me make clearer and more accurate pattern differentiation, allowing my acupuncture treatments to be more targeted. It covers a wide range of conditions, including skin disorders, oncology-related presentations, mental health patterns, and joint or limb problems. In practice, tongue observation often provides valuable insight even before a patient begins describing their symptoms.
In addition to the methods above, I regularly use local bloodletting techniques, which can be very effective for improving circulation, reducing swelling, and relieving pain. I also incorporate auricular (ear) acupressure and stimulation, which I commonly use for allergies, insomnia, headaches, stress management, and various internal conditions.
In my clinical work, I value taking the time to listen carefully to each patient and to understand their overall health, lifestyle, and concerns. Based on each individual’s condition, I also provide personalised dietary guidance and lifestyle or wellness advice to support overall health and long-term wellbeing. I commonly support patients with musculoskeletal pain, such as neck, shoulder, knee, and back pain, as well as stress-related conditions, sleep issues, migraines, digestive concerns, and women’s health and fertility-related conditions.