Indications
Dry eyes, blurry vision, poor eyesight, all due to underlying yin deficiency
Functions
Tonifies liver and kidney yin, nourishes the eyes
Description
One of the variations of the Liu Wei Di Huang Wan base formula, this remedy adds three ingredients to focus the actions on the eyes. The first addition is Lycium fruit (gou qi zi), a delicious reddish raisinlike berry that can be eaten fresh. It is used in formulas where the liver and kidneys lack sufficient yin or blood to nourish the eyes. In clinical studies, Lycium berries have been found to have a protective effect on the liver. Since the liver is the major organ responsible for detoxifying harmful substances in the body, it can suffer damage from some of these toxins. Lycium fruit can reduce damage to liver cells and speed recovery of normal liver function.
The other two additions to the base formula are abalone shell (shi jue ming) and Tribulus fruit (bai ji li)–both are specific for eye problems caused by a disturbance in the liver (liver heat or liver wind). The entire formula is, therefore, quite useful for eye problems due to an underlying deficiency of liver and kidney yin. It can be used for poor visual acuity, night blindness, sensitivity to light (photophobia), excessive tearing, or retinitis.
It is important to be sure of an underlying yin deficiency; if the condition is one of excess fire (acute, swollen, red inflamed eyes), formulas that clear heat should be used, such as Long Dan Xie Gan Wan.
Manufacturer: MIN SHAN
Dosage: 8 to 10 pills, three times a day
