NCT00639977: Acupuncture and eye pressure: randomized study

The linked randomized study found no significant short-term effect of acupuncture on intraocular pressure in healthy volunteers. It included 48 people and 94 eyes: 19 people received acupuncture, 14 sham acupuncture, and 15 no intervention. 1 2

Pressure was measured before treatment and approximately 20 minutes and 24 hours afterward by a masked examiner. Between-group differences in pressure change were not significant: P=.13 at 20 minutes and P=.21 at 24 hours. A decline within one group therefore cannot be taken as a treatment effect without the comparison groups. 2

These participants did not constitute a glaucoma-treatment population. The experiment does not demonstrate prevention of optic-nerve damage, preservation of vision, or long-term glaucoma benefit. 2

Sources

1. ClinicalTrials.gov — ClinicalTrials.gov — NCT00639977. Original study registration: sponsor, design, population, endpoints and dated history.Original study registration · Original record checked against the registry API. Checked 2026-10-10. Registration and current registry fields do not by themselves establish efficacy. Historical details in the article retain their stated date. Supplied note: ClinicalTrials.gov — NCT00639977. Original study registration: sponsor, design, population, endpoints and dated history.

2. PubMed — Original randomized study: Meira-Freitas et al., 2010Research publication · Publication abstract read via Europe PMC; identifier and title cross-checked. Checked 2026-10-10. Full paper was not independently re-read for this update; abstract details should not be extended beyond what it reports.