The ophthalmology of traditional Chinese medicine features a long history evidenced by multiple records, such as the "eye diseases" recorded in oracle bone inscriptions found in Yin ruins, and records about nebula, optic atrophy, red eye and tunica albuginea in Shennong's Classic of Materia Medica, which also mentioned as many as 70 herbs for eye diseases. In Sui and Tang Dynasties, the ophthalmology of TCM achieved great progresses, with many accurate records referring to nyctalopia and cataract, coupled with the application of multiple external treatment methods and surgeries. The earliest records about cataract treatment by "curing cataract with gold needle" were found in Arcane Essentials from the Imperial Library. There also emerged the ophthalmic books such as Longshu's Treatise on Ophthalmology.
