Hotspots and emerging trends in acupuncture ophthalmology research: A bibliometric analysis

采用文献计量学方法, 系统分析针灸眼科领域的研究热点, 旨在明确其研究趋势,合作网络与热点演进, 预测未来发展方向. 检索Web of Science核心合集中1985年1月1日至2025年5月31日期间以“针灸眼科”为主题发表的文献, 利用CiteSpace 6.2.R3,VOSviewer 1.6.20,SCImago Graphics, 对发文量,国家,机构,作者,期刊,关键词和引用参考文献进行文献计量学分析. 共纳入分析349篇文献. (1) 发文量:1985年至2025年针灸眼科研究的文献数量呈整体上升趋势. (2) 发文国家:目前有33个国家和地区开展过针灸眼科方面研究, 发文量前3位分别是中国 (203篇) ,美国 (55篇) ,韩国 (25篇) . (3) 发文机构和作者团队:共有321个机构,621名作者参与了相关研究, 发文量大于3篇的作者间形成了7个合作密切的研究团队, 3个大的合作群.其中Xiao-peng MA发表量最多 (12篇论文) , Tae-Hun Kim是影响力最大的作者 (被引41次) . (4) 期刊:349篇文献发表于152种期刊中, 其中《Medicine》 (32篇) 发文量最多, 《Evidence-based complementary and Alternative medicine》 (18篇) 位列第二. (5) 通过文章关键词和参考文献等分析出, 针刺研究的热点研究主题为干眼症,系统评价,病因识别,继发性青光眼,视觉症状,视网膜色素,近视控制. 针灸眼科研究当前聚焦于针灸临床优势病种,多重疗法和多学科共同干预, 并向标准化,机制可视化发展.在当前的眼科诊疗体系中, 针灸已经是重要的补充与替代疗法.对于干眼,视疲劳,近视防控这类功能性,慢性眼病的症状改善,生活质量提升及减少药物依赖方面展现出独特优势.未来研究的方向: (1) 对眼科疾病的起效机制研究; (2) 在慢病管理与预防领域与现代眼科的整合互补; (3) 提供高水平临床证据以构建针灸在眼健康领域的标准化方案. To systematically analyze the research hotspots and developmental trajectory of acupuncture ophthalmology using bibliometric methods, with the aim of clarifying research trends, collaborative networks, the evolution of thematic focuses, and predicting future directions. Literature on acupuncture ophthalmology published between January 1, 1985, and May 31, 2025, was retrieved from the Web of Science Core Collection. Bibliometric analyses were conducted using CiteSpace 6.2.R3, VOSviewer 1.6.20, and SCImago Graphics to visualize publication characteristics, country and regional contributions, authorship patterns, journals, institutions, keywords, and cited references. A total of 349 publications were included. (1) Annual publications: The number of studies on acupuncture in ophthalmology showed a generally increasing trend from 1985 to 2025. (2) Countries/regions: Research in this field spanned 33 countries and regions, with China (203 papers), the United States (55 papers), and South Korea (25 papers) as the top three contributors. (3) Institutions and authors: A total of 321 institutions and 621 authors were involved. Authors with more than three publications formed seven collaborative research teams, comprising three major collaboration networks. Xiao-peng MA was the most prolific author (12 papers), whereas Tae-Hun Kim was the most influential author (41 citations). (4) Journals: The 349 articles appeared in 152 journals, with Medicine (32 articles) and Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine (18 articles) being the most common publication venues. (5) Keyword and reference analyses identified several major thematic areas, including dry eye syndrome, systematic reviews, etiology identification, secondary glaucoma, visual symptoms, retinal pigment research, and myopia control. This bibliometric analysis demonstrates that current research in acupuncture ophthalmology is primarily focused on disorders in which acupuncture shows notable clinical benefits, incorporating multimodal therapies and multidisciplinary approaches. The field is progressing toward greater protocol standardization and clearer visualization of underlying mechanisms. Acupuncture has become an important complementary and alternative therapeutic modality within ophthalmic care, offering unique advantages in symptom improvement, enhancement of quality of life, and reduction of medication dependence for conditions such as dry eye disease, asthenopia, and myopia. Future research priorities include: (1) deepening mechanistic research on acupuncture for ophthalmic diseases; (2) advancing integration with modern ophthalmology in chronic disease management and prevention; and (3) generating high-level clinical evidence to establish standardized acupuncture regimens for eye health.