🌿 Folk Prescriptions

Eye brightening and eyelid toning formulas refer to prescriptions that make eyes clear and bright, enhance visual function, strengthen eyelid muscle tone and elasticity. This method not only makes the whites of the eyes white and pupils black, with sharp gaze and improved vision, but also prevents formation of under-eye bags, reduces wrinkles, prevents muscle laxity and aging, thus beautifying the eyes. It can also prevent symptoms such as blurred vision, hazy sight, weak eyelashes, frequent desire to close eyes, and swollen eyelids. The mechanism involves dispelling wind and clearing heat, regulating liver and nourishing blood, tonifying kidney and nourishing yin, strengthening spleen and boosting qi, promoting yang and activating blood circulation. Clinically used folk remedies and proven formulas for eye brightening and eyelid toning are listed below. [Formula One] 21 fireflies, 2 mandarin fish gallbladders. Place fireflies inside mandarin fish gallbladders, dry in shade for 100 days, grind into powder. Apply a small amount to the eyes daily to make the gaze bright and clear. [Formula Two] 120g cistanche, 60g morinda root, 60g chrysanthemum, 60g wolfberry. Dry the four herbs, grind into extremely fine powder, mix with refined honey to make pills the size of paulownia seeds. Take 15g twice daily with warm salt water. This formula replenishes essence and brightens vision, suitable for blurred vision. [Formula Three] 2 chicken livers, 100g rice, a little salt. Chop chicken livers finely, cook together with rice into porridge, add salt when ready. Consume twice daily, morning and evening. This formula enhances vision, especially beneficial for night blindness and those with poor vision. [Formula Four] 6g mulberry leaf, 6g chrysanthemum, 4.5g antelope horn tip (powdered), 6g raw rehmannia, 6g ligustrum fruit (ground), 4.5g apocynum flower, 6g oyster shell, 3g alisma, 4.5g raw peony root, 4.5g stir-fried citrus peel. Grind into fine powder, mix with honey to make pills the size of green peas. Take 6g daily with plain water. This formula was devised by Imperial Physician Zhang Zhongzhi for Empress Dowager Cixi, functions to calm liver and brighten eyes, suitable for daily eye care. [Formula Five] 6g frost-damaged mulberry leaf, 6g chrysanthemum. Grind into fine powder, mix with honey to make pills the size of green peas. Take 6g daily with plain water. This formula was created by Imperial Physician Yao Baosheng for Empress Dowager Cixi, functions to calm liver and brighten eyes, effective for chronic eye conditions. [Formula Six] 30g morinda root (soaked in water, remove heart and impurities), 90g schisandra berry, 12g goji berry (cleaned), 60g cistanche (soaked in wine overnight, dried), 150g chrysanthemum. Grind into fine powder, mix with honey to make pills the size of paulownia seeds. Take 50 pills daily, swallow with salted wine before meals. This formula nourishes blood, fills essence, brightens eyes and improves vision. [Formula Seven] 9g chrysanthemum, 9g frost-damaged mulberry leaf, 3g mint, 1.5g antelope horn tip, 9g raw rehmannia, 9g prunella. Boil in water, first fumigate then wash eyes. This formula uses medicinal liquid externally for fumigation and washing, directly acting on the eyes, enhancing ocular metabolism and promoting blood circulation—highly beneficial for eye health. [Formula Eight] Appropriate amount of sea salt, fine tea. Brew both ingredients with boiled water, use daily in the morning to wash eyes. This formula prevents aging of ocular tissues and keeps eyes clear. [Formula Nine] Fagopyrum husk, mung bean husk, black bean husk, cassia seed, chrysanthemum, each in appropriate amount. Grind into fine powder, mix evenly, place in a cloth bag to make a pillow. Seal with plastic bag; remove plastic before use at night. This formula brightens eyes and improves vision. [Formula Ten] Appropriate amount of cypress leaf. Grind into fine powder, use as pillow. This medicinal pillow cools blood and brightens eyes, preventing wind-heat ascending and causing cloudy vision. [Formula Eleven] 15g astragalus, 15g fried licorice, 15g windproof, 15g angelica, 12g vitex, 21g升ma, 21g bupleurum. Use 2 bowls of water, boil down to 1 bowl, filter out residue, take slightly warm once daily. This formula regulates spleen qi, assists yang, activates blood, promotes circulation, strengthens eyelid muscles, maintains skin elasticity, prevents eyelid sagging and aging, reduces wrinkles, and treats weak eyelashes and tendency to keep eyes closed. [Formula Twelve] 60g astragalus, 30g ginseng, 30g fried licorice, 30g white peony, 15g tangerine peel, 6g vitex. Boil in water, take once daily, divided into three doses. This formula treats morning eyelid swelling due to qi and blood deficiency. Avoid alcohol, vinegar, wet noodles, sauces, scallions, garlic, leeks, and raw or hard foods during treatment. [Formula Thirteen] Appropriate amount of chrysanthemum. Steep in water, use externally to wash eyes. This formula relieves swelling of both eyelids. [Formula Fourteen] Appropriate amount of ginseng, 37 roots. Grind into juice with water, apply around the eyes. This formula treats red eyes and swollen eyelids. [Formula Fifteen] 30g hibiscus leaf (powdered), 15g fine tea (powdered). Boil tea, mix with two ingredients to form a paste, spread on paper, then apply to eyelids. This formula treats morning eyelid swelling caused by heat stagnation. [Formula Sixteen] 12g codonopsis, 12g atractylodes, 12g poria, 12g angelica, 12g uncaria, 12g whole scorpion, 12g prepared astragalus, 3g silver honeysuckle, 3g bupleurum, 3g tangerine peel, 3g licorice. Boil in water, take once daily. This formula treats ptosis of upper eyelid not caused by myasthenia gravis. [Formula Seventeen] 12g notopterygium, 12g windproof, 12g gentiana, 12g papaya, 15g yellow pine knot (poria wood), 10g aconite, 10g pinellia, 10g bear bile star, 6g silkworm pupa. Boil in water, add one cup of wine during decoction, take once daily, divided into morning and evening doses. This formula dispels wind, unblocks meridians, activates blood, suitable for sudden ptosis of upper eyelid due to wind invasion affecting the eyelid. [Formula Eighteen] Equal parts catalpa bark, angelica root, rhubarb, turmeric, pinellia, large magnolia bark, red adzuki beans, cold water stone. Grind into fine powder, mix with fresh rehmannia juice to form a paste, apply externally around the eyes. This formula is suitable for morning eye redness and swollen eyelids caused by blood heat. [Formula Nineteen] 15g kochia seed (roasted), 150g fresh rehmannia. Extract juice, mix and shape into cakes, dry and grind into powder. Take 9g on an empty stomach with yellow wine. This formula treats morning eye redness and swelling due to blood heat and stasis. [Formula Twenty] 100g black beans. Divide into 10 bags, steam in boiling water, then apply hot compresses, repeat three times to cure. This formula originates from "Pu Ji Fang," suitable for morning eye redness and swelling due to qi-blood stagnation and damp retention. [Formula Twenty-One] 9g pinellia, 9g poria, 4.5g citric fruit (wheat bran stir-fried), 9g sour plum (pit removed), 3g aged mugwort, 4.5g tangerine peel. Boil with ginger water, drink the liquid. This formula comes from "Ri Ke Jie Jing," suitable for cases where the eyeball appears raised like coal dust. [Formula Twenty-Two] 12g roasted ginger, 15g raw astragalus, 9g atractylodes, 9g licorice, 30g coix seed, 15g atractylodes, 9g tangerine peel, 9g poria, 45g red poria, 6g sandalwood, 6g bupleurum, 9g升ma, 9g atractylodes, 6g bamboo shavings as guide. Boil, take orally three times daily. This formula comes from "Ophthalmology Integration," suitable for dark circles around the eyes due to spleen deficiency and phlegm-damp obstructing meridians. [Formula Twenty-Three] 250g pork liver, 100g carrot, 100g Chinese cabbage, 150g cucumber. Remove tendons and membranes from pork liver, wash clean, slice thinly. Coat with a thin layer of batter made from cooking wine, rice vinegar, soy sauce, and egg white. Fry in oil heated to 6–7/10 capacity until golden brown, remove and set aside. Wash and slice carrots, cabbage, and cucumber. Heat a little peanut oil in pan, fry until nearly done, add scallion bits, stir-fry carrots for about 1 minute, then add pre-cooked pork liver and cabbage, followed by cooking wine, salt, and monosodium glutamate. Finally add cucumber slices, stir briefly and serve. This formula nourishes and beautifies, enhances vision.<Eye Brightening>