《经》曰∶目者,五脏六脏之华,荣卫魂魄之精常营也。又曰∶诸脉者,皆属于
目,目得血而能视,故脏腑精气皆上注于目而为之睛。白睛属肺,黑睛属肝,瞳人属
肾,上下胞属脾,两 属心,而内 又属胆与三焦,上纲属太阳膀胱小肠,下纲属阳明
大肠五脏。五色各有所司,心主赤,赤甚者,心实热也;赤微者,心虚热也。肝主
青,青甚者,肝热也;淡青者,肝虚也。脾主黄,黄甚者,脾热也;淡黄者,脾虚也。
目无精光,及白睛多而黑睛少者,肝肾俱不足也。昼视通明,夜视罔见者,禀受阳气衰
弱,遇夜阴盛,则阳愈衰,故不能视也。赤脉翳物,从上而下者,属足太阳经;从下而
上者,属足阳明经。若上眼皮而下,出黑白翳者,属太阳寒水。从外至内者,属少阳风
热。从下至上而绿色者,属足阳明及肺肾合病也。然翳膜者,风热内蕴也。邪气未定,
谓之热翳,而浮于外。邪气既定,谓之热翳,而沉于内。邪气若深,谓之陷翳,此宜
升发以消之。更有疳眼看,因肝火湿热上冲,脾气有亏,不能上升清气,故生白翳捷
闭不开,眵泪如糊,久而脓流,遂致损目。雀目者,上午能视,临晚失明,此因肝气衰
弱也。盖木生于子,旺于卯,绝于申,所以午上而能视,至申酉而失明,况目得血而能
视,午后肝气渐衰,且阴虚则火必盛,弱阴不能以胜强火,故夜转剧,天明以阳用事,
阳主动,浊阴暂消,故稍明。大要治肝养血,兼理脾胃为主,更有目闭而不能开者,
有因过服寒凉之剂,致使阳气下陷,不能升举而然。有因胃气亏损,眼睫无力而然,并
宜升阳益胃。更有暴赤肿痛,风火炽盛者,有因多泪羞明,肝心积热者,一宜疏风散
火,一宜凉血清肝。若风沿烂眼者,是膈有热也。若时时作痒者,是脓溃生虫也。若眼
睫连扎者,是肝经风热也。若初生目黄壮热,二便秘结,面赤眼闭者,此胎热也。更
有痘后精血既亏,余毒上侵,及斑疮入眼者,有视物不明,不肿不痛,但见黑花而无
精光者,此皆肝肾并虚也。若外无翳膜内障如云,视物不见,俗名青盲者,若非肾水枯
涸,则必久病成疳。脉洪大者,养血为先,脉沉细者,补阳为上。盖如天无日色,虽有
火镜,何能便晶光相射乎?若吐泻后,而眼如上膜,不能升举,及无清光者,此精滋泻
脱元神已久也,难治。更有热毒眼小,积毒眼小者,更有时气流行,而肿赤者,然治法
总忌寒凉及单行发散。盖寒则凝,热则行,而风则燥耳。况目病虽由火热,然多因初感
风寒,腠里闭密,火热不得外泄,上乘空窍而为病。若散其外感,则火热泄而痛自止,
兼之养血凉血退翳诸剂,必兼风药,始能上达头目,且火郁则发之,以减其盛势。若概
用寒凉,则邪愈凝滞,亦不可发汗,汗则津液耗而血亦燥,燥则其疾愈甚矣。更有以目
疾,血瘀血热,而投以破血凉血之剂者,或投以寒凉损脾之剂者,皆为不可。盖脾为至
阴,归明于目,况目得血而能视,血少则热火愈动,而目愈昏。夫血者,水之精脉也。
精光者,木之华彩也。脾胃者,木之根本也。故莫若以上病治下之法,用引火藏源之
方,服于食前,峻补其肝肾,则浊阴降而上热自除,下阴足而目光自还,陷翳自浮,冰
翳自化。倘翳膜过浓者,另以养荣药中,佐以消障疏风之味,服于食后,则标本俱得其
功,上下咸受其益,(张)因幼年读书过劳,而常目病,今看书写字略多,便易于举发,
发时惟以八味丸加牛膝、五味子者,每日食前各进五六钱,一日共有一两五六钱矣。外
用以黄连钱余,入铜青分许,煎浓汁,洗净,两三次,俟红障少淡,再入人参二三分
于内,温和洗之,则光还而能视物如故矣。
The *Classic* (Huangdi Neijing) states: The eyes are the blossoms of the essence of the five zang organs and six fu organs, where the essence of Ying (Nutritive Qi), Wei (Defensive Qi), Hun (Ethereal Soul), and Po (Corporeal Soul) constantly circulate. It also says: All meridians belong to the eyes; the eyes can see when they receive blood nourishment. Therefore, the essence and qi of the zang and fu organs all ascend to the eyes to form the pupils and eyeballs. The whites of the eyes belong to the Lung, the black parts (iris/cornea area) belong to the Liver, the pupils belong to the Kidney, the upper and lower eyelids belong to the Spleen, the two canthi (angles of the eyes) belong to the Heart, while the inner depths of the canthi belong to the Gallbladder and Sanjiao (Triple Burner). The upper rim belongs to the Foot-Taiyang Bladder Meridian and Hand-Taiyang Small Intestine Meridian, and the lower rim belongs to the Foot-Yangming Large Intestine Meridian and Hand-Yangming Large Intestine Meridian, along with the five zang organs. Each of the five colors is governed by a specific organ: the Heart governs red; severe redness indicates Heart Excess-Heat, while slight redness indicates Heart Deficient-Heat. The Liver governs green/blue; severe greenness indicates Liver Heat, while pale greenness indicates Liver Deficiency. The Spleen governs yellow; severe yellowness indicates Spleen Heat, while pale yellowness indicates Spleen Deficiency. Eyes lacking luster, or having excessive whites with insufficient black parts, indicate insufficiency of both the Liver and Kidney. Clear vision during the day but inability to see at night indicates congenital weakness of Yang Qi; when Yin becomes dominant at night, Yang further declines, resulting in blindness. Red vessels and nebulae (opacities) developing from top to bottom belong to the Foot-Taiyang Meridian; those developing from bottom to top belong to the Foot-Yangming Meridian. If it develops from the upper eyelid downward, presenting white-black nebulae, it belongs to Taiyang Cold-Water pathogen. If it develops from outside to inside, it belongs to Shaoyang Wind-Heat. If it develops from bottom to top and appears green, it belongs to a combined disease of the Foot-Yangming Meridian, Lung, and Kidney. However, nebulae are caused by internal accumulation of Wind-Heat. When the pathogenic factor is unsettled, it is called "Re Yi" (Heat Nebula), floating externally. When the pathogenic factor has settled, it is still called "Re Yi," but sinks internally. If the pathogen is deep, it is called "Xian Yi" (Sunken Nebula), which should be treated with ascending and dispersing methods to eliminate it. There is also "Gan Yan" (Kui Eye/Night Blindness due to Malnutrition), caused by Liver Fire and Damp-Heat rushing upward, Spleen Qi deficiency failing to ascend clear Qi, leading to rapid formation of white nebulae that block vision, with sticky discharge like paste, eventually suppurating and damaging the eye. Night blindness occurs because one can see in the morning but goes blind at dusk, due to weak Liver Qi. Wood is born at Zi hour, prosperous at Mao hour, and extinct at Shen hour; thus, vision is clear before Wu hour, but lost at Shen and You hours. Moreover, since eyes need blood to see, Liver Qi gradually declines after noon. Yin deficiency leads to hyperactive Fire; weak Yin cannot overcome strong Fire, so symptoms worsen at night. At dawn, Yang takes command; Yang moves, temporarily dissipating turbid Yin, so vision slightly improves. Generally, treatment focuses on nourishing the Liver and tonifying Blood, combined with regulating the Spleen and Stomach. For eyes closed and unable to open, causes include excessive use of cold-natured medicines causing Yang Qi to sink and fail to rise, or Stomach Qi deficiency causing eyelid weakness; both require raising Yang and benefiting Stomach Qi. For sudden redness, swelling, and pain due to blazing Wind-Fire, or for tearing and photophobia due to accumulated Heat in the Liver and Heart, treatments should respectively disperse Wind and scatter Fire, or cool Blood and purify the Liver. For angular blepharitis ("Wind Along Rotten Eye"), there is Heat in the Diaphragm. For constant itching, there are parasites from ulcerated pus. For eyelids adhering together, there is Wind-Heat in the Liver Meridian. For newborns with jaundice, high fever, constipation of stool and urine, red face, and closed eyes, this is Fetal Heat. After smallpox/variolae, if Essence and Blood are depleted and residual toxins invade upward, or if pox enters the eyes, causing unclear vision without swelling or pain but seeing black spots without luster, this is deficiency of both Liver and Kidney. If there is no external nebula or internal cataract like clouds blocking vision, commonly known as "Qing Mang" (Green Blindness), it is either due to exhaustion of Kidney Water or chronic disease turning into Kui syndrome. With a洪大 (Surging-Large) pulse, nourishing Blood is primary; with a 沉细 (Deep-Fine) pulse, tonifying Yang is superior. Just as the sky without sunlight cannot reflect light even with a fire mirror, so too must underlying deficiencies be addressed. After vomiting and diarrhea, if the eyes appear covered and lack clarity, it indicates prolonged loss of Essence and depletion of Yuan Shen (Original Spirit), which is difficult to treat. For heat-toxic or accumulated-toxic small eyes, or epidemic swelling and redness, treatments generally avoid cold-natured herbs and single dispersing agents. Cold causes stagnation, Heat promotes movement, and Wind causes dryness. Although eye diseases arise from Fire-Heat, they often originate from initial Wind-Cold invasion closing the pores, trapping Fire-Heat inside, which ascends to the empty orifices. Dispersing the exterior release allows Fire-Heat to exit and pain to cease. Combined with blood-nourishing, blood-cooling, and nebula-resolving formulas, wind-dispersing herbs are necessary to reach the head and eyes. Since trapped Fire should be vented to reduce its intensity, using only cold herbs causes pathogenic stagnation. Sweating is contraindicated as it consumes fluids and dries Blood, worsening the condition. Using blood-breaking or blood-cooling herbs for blood stasis/heat, or cold-damaging herbs for the Spleen, is inadvisable. The Spleen is the ultimate Yin organ; brightness returns to the eyes. Since eyes need blood to see, less blood leads to more agitated Fire-Heat and dimmer vision. Blood is the essence of Water's meridians; luster is the blossom of Wood. The Spleen and Stomach are the root of Wood. Therefore, treating upper pathology via lower regulation is preferred. Use formulas to guide Fire back to its source, taken before meals to strongly tonify Liver and Kidney. This lowers turbid Yin, clears upper Heat, replenishes lower Yin, restores vision, raises sunken nebulae, and melts ice-like nebulae. For thick nebulae, add nebula-resolving and wind-dispersing herbs to blood-nourishing formulas, taken after meals, achieving both root and branch treatment benefits. (Patient Zhang) suffered frequent eye problems due to overwork from reading in youth; now, excessive reading triggers relapses. During attacks, he uses Ba Wei Wan (Eight-Ingredient Pill with Rehmannia) plus Niu Xi (Achyranthes Root) and Wu Wei Zi (Schisandra Fruit), taking 5-6 qian each time before meals, totaling 1.5-1.6 liang daily. Externally, he boils Huang Lian (Coptis Rhizome) over 1 qian with a small amount of Tong Qing (Azurite) to make a concentrated solution, washes the eyes 2-3 times, and once the red nebula fades slightly, adds 2-3 fen of Ren Shen (Ginseng Root) for gentle washing. This restores vision to normal.