Exploring the connotation of brain-eye comorbidity from the perspective of the integrated view of body, qi, and spirit

The integrated view of body, qi, and spirit adopts a holistic perspective of life activities and disease progression, providing a comprehensive theoretical framework for elucidating the etiology, pathogenesis, and prevention or treatment strategies of cross-organ comorbidities. The brain and eyes are closely interconnected at the levels of body, qi, and spirit, as reflected in the shared origin of material formation, the interlinkage of qi-transformation pathways, and the unity of spirit mechanism regulation. The essence of brain-eye comorbidity lies in the functional imbalance among body, qi, and spirit. Throughout the disease course, impairment of body and substance, stagnation of qi flow, and dysfunction of spirit are consistently observed. Specifically, deficiency of kidney essence leading to structural damage serves as the initiating factor; qi dynamic dysfunction resulting in concurrent obstruction of the brain and eyes represents the key pathological mechanism; and mutual disturbance of the spirit resulting in reduced clarity of the mind is the fundamental pathological basis. Treatment follows the principle of simultaneously regulating and treating the body, qi, and spirit. Tonifying the kidney and replenishing essence to restore body and substance serves as the foundation; regulating qi movement to relieve stagnation forms the core; and regulating the pivot and activating spirit to manifest mental clarity represents the therapeutic focus. Through these methods, coordinated regulation and treatment of the brain and eyes can be achieved, leading to functional recovery. This article, grounded in the integrated view of body, qi, and spirit, provides a systematic theoretical foundation and novel approach for understanding and clinically treating brain-eye comorbidity in traditional Chinese medicine.