Effect of Deep Puncture at Jingming (BL1) Combined With Acupuncture Points on Intraocular Pressure and Visual Acuity in Glaucoma Patients: A Pilot Observational Study

Background Glaucoma is a leading cause of irreversible blindness worldwide. Acupuncture has been proposed as a complementary therapy; however, evidence regarding specific techniques such as deep puncture at Jingming (BL1) remains limited. Objective To evaluate the effect of deep puncture at Jingming (BL1) combined with acupuncture on intraocular pressure (IOP) and visual acuity (VA) in glaucoma patients. Methods This pilot observational study included 16 patients (29 eyes) with glaucoma. Participants received acupuncture once weekly for 6 weeks. IOP and VA were measured before and after each session. Data distribution was assessed for normality prior to analysis. Statistical analysis was performed using paired t -tests. Results A trend toward reduction in IOP was observed after six treatment sessions, although the change did not reach statistical significance ( p > 0.05). There was a significant improvement in the VA after six acupuncture treatment sessions ( t = 4.826, p < 0.001). No serious adverse events were reported. Conclusion Deep puncture at Jingming (BL1) combined with acupuncture was associated with improvement in the VA and a trend toward IOP reduction in glaucoma patients. The procedure was performed under strict aseptic conditions with no serious adverse events reported. Further large randomized controlled trials are required to validate these findings.