These are the Questions which arise when a patient in extreme conditions visit the Ayurvedic Doctor for eye treatments, just due to the unawareness of the fact that Ayurveda not only treats diseases like asthma, diabetes, arthritis but also treats Eye Disorders.
In fact there are separate chapters devoted to the description of eye diseases, about their diagnosis & also about their therapeutic procedures in different ancient classical texts of Ayurveda. Common people may not be aware of the fact that in Ayurvedic curriculum ( of B.A.M.S.- Bachelor of Ayurvedic Medicine & Surgery course, in the last year) there is a separate paper on ‘Netraroga’ (Ayurvedic Ophthalmology), along with the second paper on Disaeases of E.N.T. & Oral cavity and head region ( ‘Karna nasa mukha & shiroroga’)., along with concerned practicals & case takings ( oral examinations on patients).0
Ashtanga Ayurveda
There is a misconception that Ayurveda doesn’t have any knowledge about surgical disciplines, moreover there is absolutely no mention about eye disorders, but this is not true. Ayurveda do have separate specific specialties with references to different eight disciplines. That is the reason Ayurveda is also known to be Ashtanga Ayurveda. The eight branches constitutes study of the following disciplines, viz.
| Kayachikitsa: General Medicine or Internal Medicine. |
| Balachikitsa: Paediatrics as well as Gynaecology & Obstetrics. |
| Grahachikitsa: Psychiatry & Parapsychology. |
| Urdhwangatantra or Shalakyatantra: Diseases of Eye, Ear, Nose Throat & Head region. (Ayurvedic Ophthalmology, Ayurvedic Oto-rhino-laringology& Ayurvedic Neurology.) |
| Shalyatantra: General Surgery, Orthopedic Surgery, Plastic Surgery. |
| Danshtrachikitsa: Toxicology. |
| Jarachikitsa: Geriatrics. |
| Vrishyachikitsa: Including Rasayan & vajeekaran therapy – Prohost therapy, Aphrodisiac therapy, rejuvenation therapy, Immunomodulation Therapy. |
What is Shalakyatantra?
According to the definitions of ‘Vagbhatacharya’ & ‘Sushrutacharya’, Shalakyatantra can be defined as that branch of Ayurveda, in which there is a provision for management of disorders of the parts situated above the level of the clavicles (Urdhwajatrugata Vikara), namely that of Ear, Nose, Throat (Shravana – Vadana Ghranadi) i.e.Otorhinolaryngology & Eyes (Nayanadi ). At other reference it has been stated by Dalhanacharya, that this branch is known to be Shalakyatantra , because while doing the examinations of these regions, one need to take help of a small instrument – a probe or thin metallic structure known to be Shalaka, & hence the name of the branch is Shalakyatantra.
Anatomy & Physiology of Eye in Ayurveda
In certain texts of Ayurveda, like in Sushrut Samhita, anatomy & physiology of eye has been discussed in great details. They have mentioned thousands of years before that the shape of eye is oblong & not a perfect round, (Gostanakaram) thickness of the eyeball is close to the thickness of ones own thumb (swangushthdara sammitam), they have even discussed about different coats/layers (patal), various junctions( sandhi), about pupil (drishti), inner canthus(kaninak), outer canthus(apanga), about lens, eye lids, eye lashes & many more such relevant things in Ayurvedic anatomy of eyeball(Netrasharira).
As per Ayurvedic physiology of eye, the main dosha that is responsible for the very basic function of eye (sight, to see), is no other than Pitta & that to again a subtype of Pitta known as ‘Alochaka Pitta’. I am sure all of us would salute to our ancient masters who knew that there were two distinctive components were responsible for the act of seeing, one in the eye itself (may be in the retina) & other in the brain as a optic centre, which they have clearly mentioned then as the ‘Chakshurvaisheshika Alochaka Pitta’ & ‘Buddhirvaisheshik Alochaka Pitta’ respectively.
The clinical application of this anatomical background of eye was reflected clearly in the area of classification of eye diseases mentioned in those days by ‘Sushrutacharya’ in his samhita.One may see description as Pakshma roga (Diseases of Eye lashes), Vartmaroga (Diseases of Eye lids), which is having a striking similarity with the that of the classification of eye disorders being accepted by the contemporary modern ophthalmology !
