Inspection of Eyes

Question 1

What is the Blood Wheel? (Five Wheels)

Answer 1

• inner and outer canthus of eye

- HT/SI

Question 2

What is the Qi Wheel? (Five Wheels)

Answer 2

• sclera

- LU/LI

Question 3

What is the Wind Wheel? (Five Wheels)

Answer 3

• Iris

- LR/GB

Question 4

What is the Water Wheel? (Five Wheels)

Answer 4

• Pupil

- KD/BL

Question 5

What is the Flesh Wheel? (Five Wheels)

Answer 5

• eyelids and surrounding muscles

Question 6

List the Five Wheels

Answer 6

• blood wheel
• qi wheel
• wind wheel
• water wheel
• flesh wheel

Question 7

What zang fu organs do flexible/smooth movement of the eyes rely on and why?

Answer 7

• muscles; sinews/tendons

- SP (dominates muscles); LR (controls tendons)

Question 8

What zang fu organs do the glittering, bright, shiny appearance of eyes rely on and why?

Answer 8

• Blood: HT/SP/LR (dominates; generates; stores)

Question 9

What zang fu organs do the eyes’ ability to distinguish objects rely on and why?

Answer 9

• Shen/Spirit : HT/SP/KD (triad)
• HT (houses Spirit)
• SP (generates acquired Essence, which nourishes the Spirit)
• KD (stores congenital essence, which nourishes the Spirit)

Question 10

What zang fu organs do the eyes’ clear vision rely on and why?

Answer 10

• relies on Blood of SP/KD/LU
• SP (generates post heaven essence)
• KD (stores pre heaven essence)
• LU (dominates qi- power to maintain circulation of blood to eyes)

Question 11

Insufficient LR and KD qi can lead to a loss of spirit. How might this manifest in the eyes?

Answer 11

• poor vision
• dull luster
• turbid hue in sclera
• iris and pupil borders indistinguishable
• no tears or eye secretion

poor prognosis

Question 12

What does redness of the eyes indicate?

Answer 12

• pathogenic heat invading the body

- heat injures blood vessels, or causes blood to rise upwards

Question 13

What does a white eye colour indicate?

Answer 13

• insufficient blood to fill the vessels/channels and nourish eyes (can be due to qi or blood deficiency, or yang deficiency with cold)
• OR turbid phlegm deposit on eyes

Question 14

What does a yellow eye colour indicate?

Answer 14

• LR/GB channels obstructed by dampness, qi or blood stasis

- stagnation generates heat, steams bile up to eyes

Question 15

What does a black eye colour indicate?

Answer 15

• extreme heat consuming/injuring the body fluids, concentrates the blood (gives rise to darker colour)
• or, KD failure

Question 16

What does a blue-green eye colour indicate?

Answer 16

• LR dysfunction creates Wind

- or, pathogenic Cold obstructs the vessels

Question 17

What are the 4 aspects of the eye we inspect?

Answer 17

• spirit
• shape
• colour
• bearing

Question 18

What causes a red eye colour?

Answer 18

pathogenic heat injures blood vessels, or causes blood to rise upwards

Question 19

What causes a yellow eye colour?

Answer 19

LR/GB channels obstructed by pathogens;

heat ensues, bile steams upward to manifest in eyes

Question 20

What eye colour will result from: insufficient Blood fails to fill up the channels and nourish the eyes, or turbid phlegm deposit on the eye?

Answer 20

white

Question 21

What causes black eye colour?

Answer 21

heat causes bleeding or severely injures body fluids and concentrates the blood, or
kidney failure

Question 22

What colour will result from: LR dysfunction creates wind, or pathogenic cold obstructs the blood vessels?

Answer 22

blue-green