Over the past few days, local online health reports in Palawan have reported a high prevalence of sore eyes. Others make fun of it with memes showing a witch with bloodshot eyes. If you or your family members experience this, it is most likely viral conjunctivitis, also known as “sore eyes”. You will feel sensitive to light, with eyes constantly watering and swelling. It can spread quickly within households and offices.
In modern medicine, sore eyes are defined as an acute viral infection in which the conjunctiva is inflamed. On the other hand, in Eastern holistic medicine, we see this health condition as trapped upper-body inflammation, which we term “Internal Heat” flaring upward into the head and sensory pathways.
Why Eyes Become Hot and Inflamed
Our eyes, the windows of our souls, contain the most intricate and reactive micro vessels in our bodies. In holistic physiology, the Liver meridian directly connects to ocular health and circulation.
The heat naturally goes upward toward the highest point of the body: the head, temples, and eyes, when there are changes in the weather and season, the presence of airborne viruses or poor air quality, which include environmental pollutants.
This causes rapid vessel dilation of the eyes, which also results in sensations that feel like burning, swelling, and most often, crusty discharges, especially in the morning. Simply wiping away these discharges is a quick fix on the surface, but lasting relief and management usually come from ensuring the clearing and venting of the inflammation from the inside out.
How Clinical Acupuncture and Natural Therapies Help
When patients seek care during a conjunctivitis flare-up, the priority is to drain ocular pressure and calm inflammation using safe distal points (away from the infected eyelid):
- Ear-Apex Acupressure (Erjian): A traditional micro-stimulation method at the top tip of the ear that quickly vents excess heat away from the eyes, which helps relieve throbbing pressure and intense redness.
- Distal Hand & Temple Points: Stimulating points such as Hegu (LI4) on the hand and Taiyang at the temples helps trigger the body’s natural anti-inflammatory response, easing eye strain, light sensitivity, and accompanying tension headaches.
Simple Home Remedies for Sore Eyes
- Press the Temple Point (Taiyang):
- Location: In the slight depression about one finger-width outside the outer corner of your eyebrows.
- Action: Use clean index fingers to massage gently in slow outward circles for 1 to 2 minutes. This improves local circulation and eases pressure behind the eyes.
- Sip Warm Chrysanthemum Tea (Ju Hua):
- Steep dried chrysanthemum flowers in hot water for 5 to 7 minutes. Chrysanthemum is widely recognized in holistic medicine for cooling ocular heat and clearing eye discomfort. Drink it warm—avoid iced drinks, which can stall natural circulation.
- Practice Smart Household Hygiene:
- Sore eyes spread primarily through hand-to-eye contact and shared linens. Assign separate towels and pillowcases to each family member, wash hands frequently, avoid rubbing the eyes, and apply a clean, cool, damp washcloth over the closed eyelids for 5 minutes to soothe swelling.
By cooling internal inflammation and maintaining strict hygiene, you can shorten recovery time, ease discomfort, and keep your household protected.
Ezekiel C. Almarez is a Certified Traditional Chinese Medicine Practitioner & Certified Acupuncturist, founder/owner of Palawan Acupuncture (Zong Qi Acupuncture Clinic), based in Mahogany Street, Barangay Tagburos, Puerto Princesa, Palawan. To book an appointment, call 0952-440-6339, or visit www.facebook.com/palawancupuncture or www.palawanacupuncture.com/book.
