Clinically, the disease pertains to "Jiaochuang" (trochomata) in traditional Chinese medicine. Its exopathic cause is ocular filth and invasion of pathogenic wind-heat, and the endopathic cause is accumulation of pathogenic heat in the spleen and stomach.  The key pathogenesis of the disease is that the combination of interior pathogenic heat and toxin accumulates up to the eyelid, which gives rise to stagnated meridians and disorder of qi and blood. Wind, heat and blood stasis form the pathological nature of the disease. Although it occurs in the eyelid, the disease is associated with the conditions of spleen and stomach.

According to the theory of traditional Chinese medicine, there are some patterns of syndrome that lead to trachoma.
1. Syndrome of Wind and Heat Invasion of Eyelid
2. Syndrome of Excessive Heat in Spleen and Stomach
3. Syndrome of Stagnation of Blood Heat