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Li Dongyuan stated: The condition of inverted eyelashes and curled lashes (lashes curling inward to irritate the eye) is caused by tension in both eyes and contraction of the skin. This occurs because internal heat causes Yin Qi to move outward. One should eliminate the internal heat and pathogenic fire; once the eyelids relax, the lashes will stand upright and emerge, and nebulae (opacities on the cornea or lens) will also recede. Treatment involves manually pulling the inner eyelid outward, rapidly pricking for bloodletting with a three-edged needle, and immediately pressing the needle tip with the fingernail of the left hand to achieve instant cure.

Chronic redness and ulceration of the eye socket, commonly known as "Chi Xia" (Red Blindness), should be treated by pricking the exterior of the eye socket with a three-edged needle to drain damp-heat and restore health.

Commentary: The above discussion can be said to deeply penetrate the nature of the disease. However, this syndrome is mostly caused by blood heat and Yin deficiency leading to hyperactive deficient fire. Blood serves to nourish the meridians and nourish hair/follicles. Therefore, external treatment should be used to drain stasis-heat, and internal treatment should be employed to cut off the source, which is appropriate.

Li Dongyuan stated: Those who can see far but not near suffer from insufficient Yang Qi and excess Yin Qi, which is a state of Qi deficiency and blood abundance. Blood abundance implies excess Yin fire; Qi deficiency implies weak Qi. This is a physiological phenomenon resembling the setting sun in the evening of an old person's life. Those who can see near but not far suffer from excess Yang Qi and insufficient Yin Qi, which is a state of blood deficiency and Qi abundance. In cases of blood deficiency and Qi abundance, there is excessive fire and insufficient Yuan Qi (Original Qi). Fire is the thief/harmful agent of Yuan Qi, Gu Qi (Grain Qi), and Zhen Qi (True Qi). When Yuan Qi arrives, it is slow and harmonious, fine like a thread; when pathogenic Qi arrives, it is tight and strong, like the water of a great river that cannot be restrained.

Respectfully noted: Yang Qi is like the fire of the sun; Yin Qi is like metal and water. As the early Confucian scholars described, metal and water are bright internally and dark externally, while the sun's fire is dark internally and bright externally. However, human eyes possess the essence of the Five Elements of the Zang-Fu organs, mutually supporting each other to generate visual clarity and spiritual function, thus enabling vision; this is the normal principle. Although the *Classic* states "The eyes can see when they receive blood," it does not specifically mention Qi. This is because blood, receiving the guidance of Qi, forms the intersection of Water and Fire, thereby enabling spiritual visual function. Otherwise, Yin deficiency prevents seeing far, and Yang insufficiency prevents seeing near, marking the gradual decline of vision in the elderly. However, if students of medicine can seek the root of eye diseases in these principles, their understanding will have progressed more than halfway.