Review Article
Year: 2018 | Month: December | Volume: 8 | Issue: 12 | Pages: 160-166
Promotive and Preventive Eye Care in Ayurveda
Data Ram1, B. Mukhopadhyay2, Ummed singh3, Vineeta Singh1
1Junior Resident - 3rd Year, Department of Swasthavritta and Yoga, Faculty of Ayurveda, I.M.S., BHU, Varanasi, UP India
2Department of Shalakya Tantra Faculty of Ayurveda, I.M.S., BHU
3Junior Resident 3rd year, Department of Shalakya Tantra, IMS, BHU
Corresponding Author: Data Ram
ABSTRACT
There are five sense organs i.e. eye, ear, nose, tongue and skin. Among these sense organs, Ayurveda gives prime importance to the eye. It says “Sarvendriyaanam Nayanam Pradhanam”. Eyes allow to understand and navigate the world around you. Suffering from eye disorders with uncorrected refractive error in children result into adverse effect on quality of life & significantly affect their vision, education and psychosocial development. Most of people pay attention to their eyes only if they have eye problems. However, the hours spent in reading, writing, watching TV, using multimedia mobile and working on computers take their toll on eye health. Working in artificial light (either dim light or bright light) is another culprit for deterioration of eye health. If 100 students of Indian school aged more than seven years are screened, 14 of them are likely to need spectacles. In Ayurveda, selected classical daily regimens like Netraprakshalna (eye wash), Anjana (Collyrium), Snana (Bath), Padabhyanga (Foot massage with oil), Nasya (nasal application of drugs), wholesome and unholsome dietetic are promoted as high-end measures for the maintenance of eye health. Various Netra Vyayamas (eye exercises), Yogasanas, Pranayamas, Neti and Trataka are also said to be beneficial for the same cause. Major Ayurvedic promotive measures and perceptions regarding maintenance of eye health and prevention of eye disorders are explored in this article. The aim of this review is to spreads the awareness of simple visual health promotive procedures in Ayurveda.
Key words: Daily Regimen, Promotive Ophthalmology, Lifestyle disorders