Glaucoma

In Western medicine, glaucoma is defined as a set of ocular disorders marked by damage to the optic nerve, often caused by elevated intraocular pressure (Quigley & Broman, 2006, The Lancet). This pressure results from fluid buildup, which can lead to severe complications like permanent vision loss, tunnel vision, and even blindness. The condition is categorized into five types: primary open-angle, angle-closure, normal tension, secondary, and pigmentary (Tham et al., 2014, Ophthalmology). Conversely, Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) associates glaucoma with Kidney Yang deficiency, presenting symptoms like dizziness and cold extremities due to internal cold and weakness (Li et al., 2011, Journal of Ethnopharmacology). Additionally, TCM posits that eye health is connected to liver function; insufficient liver blood could result in symptoms like dry eyes and blurred vision. Both paradigms offer distinct but complementary diagnostic and therapeutic frameworks, as corroborated by interdisciplinary research in databases such as the National Institutes of Health.