OBJECTIVETo explore the therapeutic effect of acupuncture on convergence insufficient asthenopia with exotropia.

METHODSEighty cases of convergence insufficient asthenopia with exotropia were randomly divided into an acupuncture group and an eye drug treatment group, 40 cases in each group. The acupuncture group were treated with acupuncture at Jingming (BL 1), Taiyang (EX-HN 5), Chengqi (ST 1), Hegu (LI4); the eye drug treatment group were treated with local dropping of Aiweiduo. The therapeutic effects and changes of exotropia degree, collecting near point, cumulative score of eye symptoms were observed after 2 and 4 weeks of treatment.

RESULTSafter treatment for 2 and 4 weeks, the total effective rates were 87.5% and 92.5% in the acupuncture group which were significantly better than 65.0% and 70.0% in the eye drug treatment group (P<0.01); after treatment of 2 and 4 weeks, the collecting near point and the cumulative score of eye symptoms were significantly better than those before treatment (P<0.01); the acupuncture group in improvement of eye symptoms after treatment of 2 weeks and in collecting near point after treatment of 4 weeks was significantly better than the eye drug treatment group.

CONCLUSIONThe therapeutic effect of acupuncture on convergence insufficient asthenopia with exotropia is better than that of simple Aiweiduo treatment.