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If you’ve had acupuncture before, you probably know that we always take a good look at your tongue — but did you know we’re also paying close attention to your eyes?

Observation is one of the oldest and most important tools in Chinese medicine. Long before modern tests and imaging, practitioners learned to read the body’s signals through careful Chinese medicine uses observation to help diagnose what is going on in the body. If you have had acupuncture, you most likely know that we look at the tongue to help determine what is happening, but what you may not realize is that we are looking many other things as well, including your eyes.

In Chinese medicine, we say that you can see the quality of a person’s spirit, or Shen, by looking at their eyes.

You may have heard the saying “the eyes are the window to the soul.” In Chinese medicine, they’re also the window to your Shen — your spirit and vitality. By noticing what’s reflected in your eyes,  you can gain valuable clues about your overall health and how your body’s systems are working together.

What are my eyes saying?

Here are some common symptoms we see, along with an explanation of how this may reflect what is happening in other parts of our systems.

Once we’ve looked at your eyes, we consider other symptoms to determine what could be going on in your health. For example, a patient who presents red eyes along with a runny nose, a scratchy throat, and an aversion to windy weather is showing us a Wind Heat invasion, while red eyes along with irritability, insomnia, stomach pain, and a bitter taste in the mouth is showing us Liver Fire.

A Chinese medicine diagnosis is like putting together pieces of a puzzle.

We listen to what you say, we feel your pulse, and observe your tongue, look at your skin and your eyes. Our bodies are amazing, and they are always communicating with us. I encourage you to watch your own eyes and see what they may be trying to tell you!

Julie