Two Cases of Paralytic Strabismus Treated with Acupuncture and Herbal Medicine

마비성사시의 한방치험 2례

Strabismus refers to a extra-ocular muscle imbalance that results in improper alignment of the visual axes of two eyes. It may be divided into paralytic and non-paralytic strabismus. Paralytic strabismus is primarily a neurological problem: non-paralytic strabismus is more strictly an ophthalmologic problem. This case report focuses on paralytic strabismus resulting from palsies of the third and the sixth cranial nerves, respectively. Oculomotor nerve palsies result in binocular diplopia with characteristic patterns of strabismus. Oculomotor nerve provides motor and parasympathetic innervation to the eyes. Acquired oculomotor nerve palsies are not uncommon. Injury to the third nerve may result in complete or partial dysfunction. Complete third nerve palsy is manifested by ptosis, dilated pupil, an eye that is deviated down and out in primary position, and limited adduction, elevation, and depression. Patients with unilateral sixth nerve palsy complain of binocular, horizontal diplopia esotropia in the primary position due to unopposed action of the medial rectus and limitation of abduction due to weakness of the lateral rectus. Diplopia is worse in the direction of the paretic lateral rectus muscle. Paralytic strabismus are treated, based on the theory of Oriental medicine. with berbal medicines having gun-bi(健脾), bae-to(培土), gue-pung(祛風) effect of acupuncture around the eyes and etc. We describe a 63-year-old woman with complete the 3rd cranial nerve palsy and a 32-year-old woman with the unilateral 6th cranial nerve palsy who treated with acupuncture and herbal medicines and showed complete recovery.