A Randomized Controlled Trial of Auricular Acupressure Combined with Sodium Hyaluronate for Abnormal Blink Reflex in Children

Abnormal blink reflex in children is a common ocular symptom with complex causes, including ocular surface diseases like dry eye and inflammation, as well as neuromuscular dysfunction. Current treatments are limited in efficacy, highlighting the need for better therapeutic options. This study aims to evaluate the clinical efficacy and safety of auricular acupressure combined with sodium hyaluronate eye drops in treating this condition. This study used a randomized controlled design and included 97 children aged 3–10 years with abnormal blink reflex. Participants were randomly assigned to three groups: the control group (Group A, n=32), treated with sodium hyaluronate eye drops; the experimental group (Group B, n=33), receiving sodium hyaluronate eye drops combined with auricular acupressure using Vaccaria seed patches; and the sham stimulation group (Group C, n=32), receiving ear patches without Vaccaria seed. The treatment lasted for three cycles. The primary outcome was the blink rate, and secondary outcomes included tear film break-up time (FBUT), corneal fluorescein staining (FL) score, Visual Analog Scale (VAS) scores for ocular dryness and photophobia, clinical efficacy, and adverse events. Compared with Groups A and C, Group B showed a significant reduction in blink rate (P0.05). The total effective rate was 78.13% for Group A, 93.94% for Group B, and 84.38% for Group C, with Group B showing significantly higher efficacy than both Group A and Group C. No serious adverse events were observed in any group. Auricular acupressure with Vaccaria seed significantly improves the clinical symptoms of abnormal blink reflex in children, enhances tear film stability, and provides corneal protection. It is a safe and effective new intervention for the treatment of abnormal blink reflex in children.