What can I do about my tired eyes? Too much reading and computer work are causing eye pain, redness and fatigue.
Answer:
There are dozens, if not hundreds, of Chinese herbs that benefit the eyes, belonging to various herbal categories including Cooling Diaphoretics, Qi-level Heat clearers, and Liver Wind Extinguishers. The most effective treatments for eye strain involve Ju Hua (Chrysanthemum Flos), taken internally as a daily drink, or used topically as a compress. To use it topically, make a strong decoction (about half a cup of herb cooked in three cups of water for about 20 minutes), strain it to remove the small hairy petals, dip a clean cloth or cotton ball in the liquid, and bathe the eyes. A patient even reported to me that she used it when she had a sty (an infected hair follicle of the eyelash), and this treatment cleared it up in a day. I have also used this compress on my cat when it woke up one day with some infected-looking liquid in one eye. 
Ju Hua is also the best treatment for conjunctivitis, but be careful not to pass the infection from one eye to the other. Two days of treatment with the herbal compress should clear this up as well.
Some of my other favorites are:
Jue Ming Zi (Cassiae Semen), which cools the liver and the eyes to treat photosensitivity, night blindness, loss of vision, cataract, optic atrophy and symptoms of wind heat in the eyes. This herb has the added benefits of treating hypertension and hyperlipidemia, so it is another good daily drink for modern “liver types.” It can be ground and brewed as you would coffee beans.
Mi Meng Hua (Buddlejae Flos), the fragrant flower from the butterfly bush, can tonify liver yin and cool liver heat. If the main problem is blurred vision or gradual loss of vision due to kidney and liver deficiency, this herb can be very effective, as it treats both excess and deficient conditions. A good partner would be Gou Qi Zi (Lycium Fructus), as it also nourished the kidney and liver.
Qing Xiang Zi, Celosiae Semen, on the other hand, is bitter, cold and draining and is only appropriate for excess heat conditions. It can also dilate the pupil, if wind heat has caused it to contract. This herb, which resembles black caviar, or shiny little black eyes, also treats hypertension.
Pterygium is what is most often meant when herbs are said to treat “superficial visual obstructions.” It is a non-cancerous growth of conjunctival tissue over part of the sclera, usually caused by wind heat and exposure to dry, dusty air. Several herbs are said to treat pterygium, such as Qing Xiang Zi and Shi Jue Ming, abalone shell.
The words “jue ming” in Chinese herb names almost always carry the meaning of brightening the eyes and clarifying the vision.
Please direct any questions you may have to Julie Chambers, L.Ac. at info@juliechamberslac.com