The effect of acupuncture on the microcirculation of the human optic nerve head and the retina

Status

Active, not recruiting

Phases

Phase 4

Study type

Interventional

Source

DRKS

Registry ID

DRKS00014565

Enrollment

Registered

2018-04-05

Start date

2006-10-20

Completion date

Unknown

Last updated

2025-04-07

For informational purposes only — not medical advice. Sourced from public registries and may not reflect the latest updates. Terms

Conditions

H40.1

Interventions

Group 1: Eye-specific acupuncture treatment: Needling points in both groups were chosen according to previous studies of Litscher et al. who demonstrated eye-related changes in blood flow of near-by a

Eligibility

Sex/Gender

All

Age

18 Years to No maximum

Inclusion criteria

Inclusion criteria: Patients with Primary open-angle glaucoma

Exclusion criteria

Exclusion criteria: Exclusion criteria in glaucoma patients were: topical therapy with dorzolamide, diabetes, age-related macular degeneration (ARMD) and other ocular diseases, previous intraocular surgeries and/or retinal laser photocoagulation, ocular injuries, or lens/corneal opacities and smokers. Patients with migraine, epilepsy, uncontrolled arterial hypertension and prior (<4 weeks) steroid therapy, as well as pregnant/breastfeeding women were excluded from the study.

Design outcomes

Primary

Measure	Time frame
After mydriasis with tropicamid-1 % (Mydrum; 5mg/1ml; Chauvin Ankerpharm, Germany) patients were instructed to sit for 10 min to achieve stable hemodynamic conditions. Blood pressure was measured and blood flow measurements started with the Heidelberg Retina Flowmeter (HRF), followed by the Ocular Blood Flow system (OBF) and the Retinal Vessel Analyzer (RVA). Measurements were taken only in one eye of each patient. After completion of all measurements acupuncture was performed in the same sitting position. Ten minutes after acupuncture above mentioned blood flow measurements were repeated in the same manner with the same devices.	—

Measure

Time frame

After mydriasis with tropicamid-1 % (Mydrum; 5mg/1ml; Chauvin Ankerpharm, Germany) patients were instructed to sit for 10 min to achieve stable hemodynamic conditions. Blood pressure was measured and blood flow measurements started with the Heidelberg Retina Flowmeter (HRF), followed by the Ocular Blood Flow system (OBF) and the Retinal Vessel Analyzer (RVA). Measurements were taken only in one eye of each patient. After completion of all measurements acupuncture was performed in the same sitting position. Ten minutes after acupuncture above mentioned blood flow measurements were repeated in the same manner with the same devices.

—

Countries

Germany

Contacts

Public ContactNaim Terai

Klinik und Poliklinik für AugenheilkundeTechnische Universität Carl Gustav Carus Dresden

naim.terai@uniklinikum-dresden.de035145818961

Outcome results

None listed

Source: DRKS (via WHO ICTRP) · Data processed: Feb 4, 2026