Abstract
Objectives Visual inspection is the first diagnostic method in Oriental medicine, and visual inspection of eyes is the one among them. This study was written in order to complement further understanding on visual inspection of eyes. Methods 1. Out of 102 photographs submitted to the Society of HyungSang Medicine in 2009, 27 portrait pictures were selected as samples in blind by 2 clinicians. The samples were copied to make 54 sample pictures, and then randomly assigned to 4 clinicians. 2. The 4 clinicians evaluated the 54 samples for excess and deficiency of the eyes. The results were recorded as 5-points-scale, and their average and standard deviation was calculated. 3. Intra and inter class reliability test were measured using SPSS 13. Results For intra- and inter-class correlation coefficient (ICC) values were measured as 0.654~0.967 and 0.756~ 0.783 respectively, with the P-value below 0.05. Out of 27 originally selected samples, 7 pictures were selected as Deficiency Samples (with 3 pictures of male and 4 of females), and 20 as Excess Samples (with 4 of male and 16 of female). Among them, Sample No. 1, 9, 22, and 26 were selected as models of 'Excessive Eyes' for females, no. 4 and 5 as 'Very Excessive Eyes' for male and females, and no. 15 as 'Moderate Eyes' for females. Conclusion This study is the first attempt of quantitative measurement of excess and deficiency using the Visual Inspection of eyes by the visual inspection experts. Still, additional studies are needed regarding the relationship visual inspection methods have with existing standards of diagnosis.