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How Chinese Medicine Approaches Tired, Dry Eyes

tired dry eyes tcm traditional chinese medicine
By the TCMHH editorial team Not medically reviewed How we work Updated 6 Oct 2026
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The eyes belong to the liver in Chinese medicine, which is why eye fatigue is treated with herbs that nourish liver blood rather than with anything applied to the eye itself.

The patterns behind tired, dry eyes

  • Liver blood deficiency with dry, sandy eyes
  • Liver heat with red, aching eyes

Same complaint, different machinery. That is why a herb that transforms one person's tired, dry eyes can leave another person unchanged: the pattern underneath is not the same.

The herbs most often used

  • Goji berry (Gou Qi Zi): brightens the eyes in dryness and strain
  • Dandelion (Pu Gong Ying): benefits the eyes and soothes a hot, sore throat
  • Chrysanthemum with goji is the household eye tea (Qi Ju tea) for screen-tired eyes

Acupressure you can do yourself

Massage each of these, jingming, yangbai, taichong, with a firm circular pressure for about a minute. Soreness that eases as you press is a good sign you are in the right spot.

Food and daily rhythm

On the plate: Goji and chrysanthemum tea, dark leafy greens, liver in the traditional diet

In the day: Twenty-twenty rule for screens, warm compresses at night, sleep before eleven to nourish liver blood

Herbs work best as part of a pattern, not as a solo act. If your symptoms keep coming back, that is the moment to get a proper TCM diagnosis rather than to keep self-prescribing.

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Sources and further reading

We cite classical materia medica and modern reference works. This article is health education, not medical advice.

  • Shennong Bencao Jing (The Divine Farmer's Materia Medica), Han dynasty.
  • Bencao Gangmu (Compendium of Materia Medica), Li Shizhen, 1578.
  • Chinese Pharmacopoeia, current edition — identity, quality and safety monographs.
  • NCCIH and WHO reference material on traditional medicine safety.

Spotted an error or a better source? Tell us — corrections are logged on our editorial policy page.

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