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Acupuncture for glaucomaLaw SK, Li T
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SummaryAcupuncture as a treatment modality for patients with glaucomaGlaucoma is a leading cause of blindness worldwide. Although there are many existing treatments, including the use of eye drops, laser treatment, and a variety of surgical procedures, some patients may seek complementary or alternative medicine such as acupuncture to supplement their regular treatment. This review aimed to evaluate available evidence of the effectiveness and safety of acupuncture in treating patients with glaucoma. We did not find any randomized clinical trials on the subject. The limited information from a few case series highlights the gap in the existing evidence. At this point, the effectiveness of acupuncture as a therapeutic modality for glaucoma could not be established.
This is a Cochrane review abstract and plain language summary, prepared and maintained by The Cochrane Collaboration, currently published in The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2010 Issue 1, Copyright © 2010 The Cochrane Collaboration. Published by John Wiley and Sons, Ltd.. The full text of the review is available in The Cochrane Library (ISSN 1464-780X).
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October 17. 2007 AbstractBackgroundGlaucoma is a multifactorial optic neuropathy in which there is an acquired loss of retinal ganglion cells at levels beyond normal age-related loss and corresponding atrophy of the optic nerve. Although there are many existing treatments, glaucoma is a chronic condition. Some patients may seek complementary or alternative medicine such as acupuncture to supplement their regular treatment. The underlying plausibility of acupuncture is that disorders related to the flow of Chi (the traditional Chinese concept translated as vital force or energy) can be prevented or treated by stimulating the relevant points on the body surface. ObjectivesThe objective of this review was to assess the effectiveness and safety of acupuncture in people with glaucoma. Search strategyWe searched the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), MEDLINE, EMBASE, LILACS, ZETOC, CINAHL, AMED (Allied and Complementary Medicine Database), TCMLARS (Traditional Chinese Medical Literature Analysis and Retrieval System), CBM (Chinese Biological Database), the Chinese Acupuncture Trials Register and the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine web site (http://nccam.nih.gov/) in February 2006. We ran update searches for CENTRAL, MEDLINE, EMBASE, LILACS and ZETOC in July 2007. We also handsearched Chinese medical journals at Peking Union Medical College Library in April 2007. Selection criteriaWe planned to include randomized and quasi-randomized clinical trials in which one arm of the study involved acupuncture treatment. Data collection and analysisTwo authors independently evaluated the search results against the inclusion and exclusion criteria. Discrepancies were resolved by discussion. Main resultsWe found no randomized clinical trials and subsequently no meta-analysis was conducted. Evidence was limited to a few case series of small sample size. Authors' conclusionsAt this time, it is impossible to draw reliable conclusions from the available data to support the use of acupuncture for the treatment of glaucoma. Since most glaucoma patients currently cared for by ophthalmologists do not use non-traditional therapy, the clinical practice decisions will have to be based on physician judgement and patients' value given this lack of data in the literature. |