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Electrical stimulation of auricular acupressure for dry eye: A randomized controlled-clinical trial
Jong Soo Lee1, Sang Ho Hwang2, Byung Cheul Shin3
1Department of Ophthalmology, School of Medicine, Pusan National University and Medical Research Institute, Pusan National University Hospital, Pusan, 602-739, Republic of Korea. jongsool@pusan.ac.kr.
Objective:
To evaluate the clinical efficacy of electrical stimulation (ES) of auricular acupressure on reducing the ocular symptoms and signs before and after treatment for dry eye.
Methods:
The inclusion criteria were the tear film break-up time (TFBUT) below 5 s and a Schirmer test-I below 5 mm in dry eyes with ocular symptoms for at least 6 months. Subjects were randomized into a treatment group (50 cases) with continuous low frequency ES under auricular acupressure at acupoints and a no ES under auricular acupressure (no-ES, control group, 50 cases) on the same acupoints. Auricular acupressure were stimulated with ES at 4 master points of both ears, which were performed twice a week for 4 weeks at each point for 30 s. The ocular symptoms, the TFBUT, and Schirmer test-I were evaluated before and after this procedure.
Results:
There were significantly better scores in TFBUT (P=0.032), the Schirmer test-I (P=0.044) and ocular symptoms (P=0.029) at 3 months post-treatment in the treatment group than in the control group. The total effective rate in the treatment group was accomplished in 41 (82%) of the 50 cases of dry eye.
Conclusions:
Auricular acupressure with ES at auricular acupoint improves ocular symptoms and signs of dry eye for a period of at least 3 months.
