All World
Gayatri Pariwar

   Eyes are regarded as the most delicate organs of the human body. Without these there would be no difference between day and night; there would be darkness everywhere.  It would be difficult even to move around and do the routine things without eyesight. Reading and writing become difficult if the eyesight is weakened. Thus, clear eyesight is essential for a happy and progressive life in general. Negligence of necessary hygiene of the eyes, over-straining, infection, injuries and lack of care after minor problems are the common causes of diseases of eyes, many of which result in eventual loss of eyesight.  

Like several other health hazards, stress and tensions are found to perturb the normal functioning of the optical activities of the nervous system thus hampering the healthy vision. Anger, mental irritation, tension, frequent over-working on computers at continuous stretches of time, watching television programmes for long hours, reading despite fatigue in eyes or without proper light, etc are among the common causes of straining the optical nerves because of which myopia (narrow sightedness), or long sightedness and other kinds of weakening of eyesight occur.

The following shlokas (no. 1|25-27) from the “Uttar Tantra” section of Vedic Treatise “Sushrut Samhita” of Ayurveda also cite these and some other common, but often ignored, causes of problems of the eyes:


Meaning: Immediate use of cold water or bathing with it after returning from hot sun or warm environment, excessive sleep in daytime, lack of sleep in night, constant attempt of seeing a distant object or similar straining of eyes to see something blurred or invisibly tiny, frequent crying, worrying, having tension, anger, and uncontrolled sex harm the health of the eyes. Apart from these, constant use of horse beans, acidic and acerbic substances like vinegar, etc, restraining the natural pressure of urination, stools or vomiting, forced control over tears, excessive perspiration, excessive vomiting, smoking, etc increase the doshas of vata and give rise to severe problems of eyesight and eye-sickness.  
     
In the “Vyadhisamuddeshiya” Chapter of  “Sutra Sthanam” sage Sushrut has classified the etymology and medical nature of ailments of eyes into seven categories and described each of them, their causes, symptoms and therapeutic and preventive measures in detail.
Modern science of medicine also specifies seven major causes or defects and related kinds of diseases of the eyes.  These are  –– (1) Hereditary defects such as Albinism and Night Blindness; (2) Inborn or congenital defects like – Ptosis (inability to open or hold up the eyelids), unnatural cataract, absence or improper development of the starry sphere or pupil of the eye, or the eyeball; (3) Physical injuries of the eyes, or of any component of the optical nervous system, injuries due to over-straining or extreme climate (e.g. total or partial blindness, Hypermetropia or Myopia, are likely if one walks on ice, or on a snow mountain for long hours without proper protection);  (4) Internal mechanical injuries or disturbances such as Traumatic Cataract, displacement of eye-lens etc; (5) Parasitic Diseases – ailments caused by viral and other microbe-infections, including conjunctivitis; (6) (Bio) Chemical aberrations e.g. infection or mutations amounting to changes in blood biochemistry that would damage the delicate tissues or nerves in the eyes or the optical region and hence cause irreparable damage and blindness; retinal membrane aberrations in certain kinds of diabetes fall in this category; Degenerative changes, e.g. those in the old age also lead to similar negative effects;  (7) New unnatural growth – e.g. tumors in the eyes or eyelids, fibrous growth in eye-membranes, etc.

Even if our eyes are free of or protected from the above kinds of severe ailments, they need not necessarily be totally healthy. Very few of us are seen having absolutely healthy eyes, with sharp and bright eyesight these days. Significantly large number of adults are seen wearing spectacles or contact lenses because of myopia; having the plus numbered glasses to help clear reading or short-range vision is almost becoming natural in the 40+ age-group and so is the problem of cataract among the elderly.  What more! Even many of the primary school children are found having weak eyesight; they can’t read what the teacher has written on blackboard in their classrooms. Malnutrition, wrong eating habits and choice of food, artificial living style and haphazard routine stand as principal factors responsible for this scenario. Air/water pollution adds to the negative effects of varied severity and intensity of eyesight problems.

Uncomfortably tight clothing in the name of fashion-fitness, abnormal control of urination and stool against the call of nature, sleeping late in the night and getting up late, having stressful hectic day, smoking, working under artificial light, watching television at continuous stretches, undisciplined sex and genital infections and similar kinds of self-adopted follies invite a variety of health hazards including the untimely weakening of eyes and ophthalmic ailments. Though rarely, dental or oral infections and metabolic disorders also cause or support the latter. 

Most of us are aware of the fact that deficiencies of certain vitamins, especially those of vitamin A and D are harmful to healthy eyesight. Some of us are cautious of eating green leafy vegetables and nourishing food items rich in these vitamins.  However, few of us might take care to avoid eating stale food, or so called fast-food, spicy food, acerbic and sour drinks, which lack in or counter the essential healthy substances required in the blood and as a result reduce or suppress healthy blood supply to the body organs. The delicate organs like the eyes are more vulnerable to the ill effects of such unhealthy habits.

The tiny nerve-network inside the eye needs regular and balanced supply of essential (biochemical) and neurotransmission signals. These also need proper rest and should not be overstrained. Noting that there are no physical exercises to counter the strain or wrong postures and modes of reading, writing and other works that require constant and focused use of eyes, precaution and prevention are the best ways of eye-care and maintaining the healthy functioning of this precious sense organ.  Apart from being regular in our eating habits and timings and taking healthy nourishing and simple food, we should also pay due attention to the hygiene of our eyes. Eyes need to be washed and cleaned properly with slightly cold water.

Yoga exercise of filling the mouth tight with water to the level of inflating the cheeks and then sprinkling the water in the open eyes to wash them – is also very useful. The sprinkling and washing of the eyes should be continued without blinking them till the water can be easily held in the mouth; the water thrown out after that will be warmer and would have absorbed the excessive heat inside the eyes. This exercise should be repeated two-three times at a stretch in the morning soon after brushing the teeth.  The yoga-practice of jala-neti along with this exercise also gives a soothing effect to the eyes apart from cleansing the nose and the sinus region.   We should also take care not to overstrain our eyes.

In case of weak eyesight without any vision ailment, infection or biochemical problem, Ayruveda guidelines advise washing the eyes in the morning by a triphala-solution; this solution is prepared by soaking dry triphala powder in slightly cold water the night before and then filtering it with the help of fine cloth.  This simple practice has excellent therapeutic effects if the triphala powder and its solution is prepared with fresh herbs under the guidance of an authentic Ayurvedic expert. 

As per its total approach to mind body system, Ayurveda analyzes the above listed seven categories of the ailments of eyes together with several other factors including the neural network functions, muscles and tissues associated with visual system and the other interconnected organs in the vicinity of the eyes for devising suitable therapeutic measures that are free of all side-effects and risks. The Ayurvedic medicinal scriptures on  “Rasa Shastra” by Vagbhattacharya are notable in this context.

For example, the 23rd Chapter of the volume titled “Ras-Ratna” presents analysis of five types of ailments or defects of the eyeball, thirteen types of those associated with the white portion, nine of the joints of the eye, twenty-four of the retina, sixteen of the optical nerves and twenty seven of the interconnecting organs that affect the visual system.  Thus ninety-four types of malfunctions or injuries, aberrations or diseases are analyzed here.  Whatever the cause may be, to what extent and with what intensity these would manifest depend, as per the Ayurvedic concept, upon the level and state of the three doshas (tridoSHa) – vata, pitta and kapha in an individual.
The “Srushut Samhita”  (part 1|28) attributes ten of the major ailments, defects or disorders of the eyes or the visual system as a whole to the vata doSHa; ten due to the pitta doSHa; thirteen due to the kapha doSHa. Apart from these it also specifies sixteen types as those due to infections or biochemical aberrations in the blood, two due to congenital factors and twenty-five because of the defects, weakness or disorders of the neuronal network or brain functions (the latter include paralysis, blood-coagulation, brain hemorrhage, etc). Notably, the ancient scriptures lay stress upon improving and maintaining the vitality and resistance (against diseases) and vigor of the mind-body system to prevent all diseases and weaknesses including those of the eyes.  Even in case of accidents or epidemics, those having healthy immune system and elevated vital energy show fast recovery. Recent research studies of modern medical science have also recognized these facts.  

Depending upon the type and severity of the problem, the modern therapeutic modes for the eyes range from medicinal eye drops to major surgeries. According to the scriptural guidelines of Ayurveda, the following types of curative measures, if necessary in spite of sincere attempts by the patients for balancing the tridoSHa are prescribed: (1) Seka: sprinkle or drop a thin stream of medicinal water or melted medicinal ghee (prepared with specific herbal or plant medicines) on or inside the eyes. (2) Ashcotana: apply eye drops of specific herbal/plant medicinal solution or finely filtered and cooled decoction; fomentation with lukewarm preparation of herbs/plant medicines knotted in a clean cloth- piece. (3) Piñú:  Tying on the eyes a bandage containing finely grinded paste of selected herbs/plant medicines. (4) ViÃalaka: Applying the paste or freshly prepared ointments of prescribed herbs/plant medicines on the eyelids and other outer parts of closed eyes. (5) Tarpaña: Dipping the eyes for few moments in the especially prepared herbal/plant medicinal water. (6) PuÚapaka: Applying the freshly prepared and cooled gel or syrup-like fine preparation of prescribed herbs/plant medicines inside the eyes in a manner similar to putting collyrium or lamp-black. 

In case of blood biochemistry related or internal ailments, specific Ayurvedic medicines are also given orally in the form of dry powder, decoction or tablets. However, apart from all these, the ancient Ayurvedic method of yagya-based therapies is said to be best and it can be used along with using any of the above mentioned Ayurvedic or modern medications or modes of treatment. It is also an easy and least expensive mode of treatment provided the patient spends some time (say about forty-minutes or so, on an aveage). 
The advantage of the yagya-based therapy is that it is a unique kind of effective inhalation therapy, which, with regular practice of few weeks, begins to rectify (heal) the defects or complexities at the level of nerves and neural functions as well and thus promises cure of even otherwise intractable diseases caused by aberrations or malfunctioning of the nervous system or in some brain-components. The chanting of distinct mantras (Vedic Hymns) in special rhythm also has majestic impact on patients’ psychology, resistance and vitality. Its promising potential has also been verified in some research and clinical experiments at the Yagyopathy Lab of the Brahmavarchas Research Centre of Shantikunj, Hardwar.
 
[We are planning to bring out a special series in this magazine next year on yagyopathy (yagya-therapy) for different diseases, including those of the eyes.