Photo by Adam Nieścioruk on Unsplash

Recurrent corneal erosion syndrome

Witness : Xue Mingchun

Symptom : Recurrent corneal erosion syndrome

I had been suffering from dry eye syndrome (DES) for six years. During the course of my doctoral degree, in order to attain academic competence, I would often work late into the night writing my research papers. My record for staying awake and looking at computer screens was 56 hours. The consequences of not giving my eyes a break were that I contracted DES at the age of 27. An ophthalmologist once told me that my case was the first time he had encountered someone who did not have short-sightedness, nor was a computer engineer, but who had contracted DES at such a young age! DES affected my work and life considerably; whether I was in meetings or giving lectures, I had to use eye drops constantly. My eyelashes often got stuck in my eyes and could not be removed, resulting in streaks of blood forming in my eyes. I became physically and mentally drained. There would often be sticky residue, or rheum, in my eye sockets. For six years, I had carried at least three different types of artificial tears with me at all times in case I needed them. In total, I had spent tens of thousands of dollars on all the major brands of lutein and eye supplements, but I experienced no progress whatsoever. 

Contracting DES meant that, at the age of 35, my bodily functions and my work efficiency levels were more akin to those of an 85 year old. Three years ago, owing to an accident, my cornea got injured, which led to my contracting recurrent corneal erosion syndrome. Often, my eyes were so painful that I was unable to open them; I experienced foreign body sensations and photophobia. Basically, I had no choice but to use eye cream and drops for the rest of my life. Fortunately, I encountered Dr. Wen, whom I considered to be my “benefactor”. Thanks to his attentive treatments, I was able to regain my youthful vigor and energy.     

After just one acupuncture treatment, there is noticeably more fluid in my eyes, and the dryness and discomfort levels have instantly fallen by 60%. Following further treatments, I have now made a 95% recovery from DES. The remaining 5% of symptoms are slight dryness when I wake up in the morning and a degree of discomfort when the air quality is poor or when I am in an air-conditioned room for a period of time. Nevertheless, the restoring of fluid levels in my eyes has brought about a swift reduction in discomfort. In addition, after ten treatment sessions, the pain that I would experience each morning as a result of recurrent corneal erosion syndrome has surprisingly disappeared. I no longer get drowsy riding my scooter in daylight due to photophobia. No words can describe how grateful I feel; the only thing I can say is that I regret not meeting Dr. Wen earlier!