Can Ayurveda Treat Glaucoma and Why?

Why Ayurveda helps treat Glaucoma

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How Ayurveda works for Glaucoma

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Ayurveda treatment for Glaucoma

Ayurvedic treatment for glaucoma is specifically tailored to each individual’s case and looks at the dominant dosha in their constitution.

However, Ayurvedic treatment for glaucoma generally involves the following aspects:

A- Eye Treatments:

Ayurvedic medicine uses various treatments to maintain eye health and beautify the eyes. They include nourishing the eye (netra tarpana), applying medicated pastes, oils, or ghee to the eye (anjana), and using medicated eye drops (ashyontana). These treatments restore balance to the vata, pitta, and kapha doshas.

They help treat glaucoma because the treatments focus on draining excess fluids out of the eye and lower the eye’s intraocular pressure.

1. Ashyotana (eye drops): is a practice where medicated eye drops are used to improve eye health. 
To treat glaucoma, Ayurvedic practitioners often use eye drops containing anti-inflammatory herbs such as turmeric or Indian gooseberry (amla) because these herbs reduce intraocular pressure in the eye.

2. Netra Tarpana (eye nourishment): a practice that involves pouring oil or ghee over the eyes for a period of time.

The patient usually lies on one side while the Ayurvedic practitioner pours a stream of oils or ghee over and into the eyes for around 30 minutes. The practitioner later washes the eyes with triphala water to cleanse the eyes and get rid of any excess fluid. Netra tarpana helps rejuvenate and relax the eyes and improves vision.

3. Netra Dhara/Netra Vasti (eye bath): a practice that involves bathing the eyes in ghee, water, or oils to restore eye health.

The patient usually lies on his or her back while the Ayurvedic practitioner forms and places two dough reservoirs that will keep the oils or ghee over the eyes. The practitioner then pours the oil/ghee into the dough reservoirs and keeps the oils/ghee in place over the eyes for about 20 minutes. Nedra vasti also includes a facial massage.   
   
4. Anjana (collyrium therapy): a practice that involves applying a collyrium to the eye. A collyrium is a medicated lotion or liquid that cleanses the eyes. To treat glaucoma, an herbal paste is applied to the inside of the eyelids to improve eye health.

B- Purvakarma treatments:

Purvakarma is Sanskrit for “foremost action.” It comprises herbal and oil treatments that loosen the accumulated toxins in the eye. Ayurvedic medicine believes these toxins cause glaucoma. 

Accordingly, purvakarma practices direct toxins to specific waste and elimination centers in the body. They help prepare people for Panchakarma (detoxification therapies).

Purvakarma consists of three treatments:

1- Pachana (digestion therapy): a practice where herbal treatments are administered to the patient. These herbal formulations help the body digest and eliminate accumulated toxins in the eye’s trabecular meshwork to treat glaucoma.

2- Snehana (oleation therapy): a practice where oils, ghee (purified butter), or oils mixed with herbs are consumed internally or applied externally to loosen toxins that block the eye’s tear ducts and trabecular meshwork. It also helps lead the toxins to an elimination center in the body where they can later be expelled via panchakarma therapies.

3- Swedana (sudation therapy): a practice that involves a thermal treatment to help release toxins that might affect the eye through the skin. It typically occurs after oleation therapy as the oils help the body absorb the steam. It can target the whole body (bashpa swedana) or a specific part of the body (nadi swedana).

During swedana, the patient sits in a wooden box or room filled with herbal steam to eliminate the toxins in his or her body by sweating. Ayurvedic practitioners recommend having a warm shower after swedana therapy.

C- Panchakarma treatments:

Panchakarma, which is Sanskrit for “five treatments” is a five-step detox program in Ayurveda. These treatments help detoxify the body and restore balance to the vata, pitta, and kapha doshas.

The five treatments are:

1. Vamana (medicated emesis)

2. Virechana (medicated purgation)

3. Vasti (medicated enema)

4. Nasya (nasal medication)

5. Raktamokshan (bloodletting)

An Ayurvedic practitioner would manage glaucoma using the following Panchakarma treatments:

1- Virechana (medicated purgation): a practice where patients are given herbal treatments to induce diarrhea. This helps clear out toxins in the gut and restore balance to the pitta dosha. This helps prevent inflammation that might cause increased intraocular pressure in the eye, and eventually lead to glaucoma.

2- Nasya (nasal medication): a practice where oils are administered through the nose. It helps release toxins that have built up due to excess kapha dosha. It soothes the mind and helps prana (life force energy) flow through our body properly, keeping the body balanced and healthy. It also helps decrease stress, which lowers intraocular pressure in the eye.

3- Raktamokshan (bloodletting): a practice that involves withdrawing blood from the body via puncture wounds or incisions to restore balance to the pitta dosha. Raktamokshan can treat glaucoma because it decreases intraocular pressure in the eye. It also increases blood circulation to the eye to protect it from any damage.

D- Rasayana (Rejuvenation treatments):

In Ayurveda, rasayana which is Sanskrit for “path of essence,” consists of practices that help rejuvenate and nourish the mind and body. Rasayana practices include consuming herbal treatments or decoctions and maintaining a healthy and balanced diet. They also incorporate exercise, yoga, and a regular self-care routine (dinacharya) to maintain balance in all aspects of life.

Rasayana practices are explained in more detail below:

1- Dietary Modifications:

The Ayurvedic diet aims to balance all three life energies or doshas in the mind and body. Patients should maintain a diet that restores balance to the kapha dosha (energy of structure and lubrication) to treat or prevent glaucoma.

An Ayurvedic diet also prescribes eating specific foods as part of Purvakarma (preparatory treatments) before Panchakarma (detoxification therapies) to help loosen the accumulated toxins in or around the eyes that cause glaucoma.

Patients should maintain the Ayurvedic diet even after they complete Purvakarma and Panchakarma therapies.

2- Herbal Treatments:

Ayurveda prescribes herbs or herbal treatments to treat glaucoma. The treatments are specifically tailored to the person’s symptoms. Practitioners prescribe different herbs depending on the person’s symptoms.

Some of these herbs include:

- Triphala: an herbal treatment consisting of three different herbs, amalaki, bibhitaki, and haritaki. These herbs help reduce the intraocular pressure in the eye.

- Amla (Indian gooseberry): a fruit that contains chromium, a mineral that reduces intraocular pressure in the eyes.

- Punarnava (Boerhavia diffusa): an herb that has diuretic properties and helps drain fluid from the eye. It also helps balance the three doshas and removes toxins (ama) in the body.

- False daisy (Eclipta alba): an anti-inflammatory herb that helps improve vision.

- Haldi (Turmeric): an herb that has anti-inflammatory properties and reduces intraocular pressure in the eye.

3- Dinacharya (Routine):

Dinacharya or establishing a routine is one aspect of rasayana that helps treat glaucoma and restores balance to the body and the mind.

It includes: 

1- Adjusting dietary habits: Patients should eat foods at regular times. They should also eat healthy foods that help restore balance to the imbalanced kapha dosha to prevent the blockage of the trabecular meshwork in the eye. This helps reduce intraocular pressure in the eye, preventing glaucoma.

2- Regulating sleeping habits: Patients need to adjust their sleeping habits and begin sleeping at regular times every night. Sleeping well helps prevent glaucoma.

3- Exercising regularly: Patients should engage in physical activity every day at regular times to stabilize all the doshas and reduce intraocular pressure in the eyes.

4- Practicing yoga: Patients should practice at least 10 minutes of yoga every day to improve eye health and reduce intraocular pressure in the eyes. 
  
5- Practicing breathing techniques: Patients should practice breathing techniques or pranayama every day. Pranayama increases oxygen levels in the body and increases circulation to the eye. Breathing techniques also reduce intraocular pressure in the eyes.

Ayurvedic Medicine for Glaucoma: recommendations

- Eat meals regularly: Eating meals at regular times strengthens agni (digestive fire) and improves digestion. This habit stops the accumulation of toxins in the body, preventing the development of glaucoma.

- Drink fluids slowly: Drinking fluids slowly prevents the rapid rise of intraocular pressure in the eye.

- Exercise regularly: Engage in light or moderate physical activity every day at regular times to restore balance to all the doshas and reduce intraocular pressure in the eyes.

- Sleep well: Maintain a regular sleep schedule and get at least 7 hours of sleep. Sleeping well helps prevent glaucoma.

- Practice yoga: Practice at least 10 minutes of yoga exercises that improve eye health, including pranayama (breathing techniques) every day.

- Practice activities that increase mindfulness: Practice meditation for at least 20 minutes every day. Meditation helps relieve stress, which decreases intraocular pressure in the eye.

- Take breaks after using the computer or watching TV: Spending long hours watching T.V. or staring at a computer screen puts a strain on the eyes. Take breaks after watching T.V. or using the computer for long periods of time to decrease the risk of developing glaucoma.

- Use pillows to elevate your head during sleep: Use an extra pillow to elevate your head when you sleep. This helps decrease the intraocular pressure in the eye, reducing the risk of developing glaucoma.

Foods to eat:

According to Ayurveda, all foods possess certain gunas (qualities). The gunas in the foods are transferred into energies that influence the balance of the doshas in the body. 

People with glaucoma should eat foods that possess dry and astringent gunas (qualities) that decrease the kapha dosha (energy of structure and lubrication) in the body. They should eat foods that increase the pitta (energy of digestion and metabolism) dosha and vata (energy of movement) doshas.

These foods include:

• Fruits: pears, apricots, and blueberries
• Vegetables: radishes, eggplants, bell peppers, spinach, cabbages, and carrots   
• Dairy products: ghee
• Grains: corn, rye, millet, and barley
• Honey

Herbs to use:

The following herbs are beneficial for glaucoma because they have anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties and help reduce intraocular pressure in the eye.

- Triphala: an herbal treatment consisting of three different herbs, amalaki, bibhitaki, and haritaki. These herbs help reduce the intraocular pressure in the eye.

- Amla (Indian gooseberry): an herb that contains chromium, a mineral that reduces intraocular pressure in the eyes.

- Punarnava (Boerhavia diffusa): an herb that has diuretic properties and helps drain fluid from the eye. It also helps balance the three doshas and removes toxins (ama) in the body.

- False daisy (Eclipta alba): an anti-inflammatory herb that helps improve vision.  

- Haldi (Turmeric): an herb that has anti-inflammatory properties and reduces intraocular pressure in the eye.

Ayurvedic Medicine for Glaucoma: things to avoid

- Don’t skip meals: Skipping meals makes it harder to establish a routine. It also weakens the digestive system and causes toxins to build up in the body.

- Avoid drinking coffee and tea: these drinks aggravate all three doshas and cause them to be imbalanced. Caffeine also increases the intraocular pressure in the eye.

- Avoid or limit alcohol consumption: alcohol consumption disrupts the balance of all the doshas in the body, particularly the kapha dosha, which increases the intraocular pressure in the eye.

- Avoid soft drinks: these drinks contain a lot of sugar and aggravate the pitta dosha, which can cause toxins to accumulate in the eye and increase intraocular pressure.

- Stop smoking: smoking aggravates the doshas and causes the accumulation of toxins in the body. Nicotine constricts the eye’s blood vessels, increasing the risk of developing glaucoma.

- Avoid lifting heavy weights: when lifting weights, avoid lifting heavy weights as this might increase intraocular pressure in the eye.

Foods to avoid:

According to Ayurveda, people who have glaucoma should avoid foods that increase the kapha dosha in the eye to manage the disease.

These foods include:

• Vegetables: potatoes, tomatoes, cucumbers, okra, and olives
• Fruits: watermelon, pineapple, oranges, grapes, kiwi, and figs
• Grains: rice and oats 
• Legumes: beans 
• Meat: red meat 
• Dairy products: yogurt
• Seafood
• Fermented foods 
• Sugary foods
• Processed foods

Ayurveda for Glaucoma: precautions

Ayurveda uses natural and herbal remedies to treat diseases. However, if you want to use Ayurvedic medicines, herbs, supplements to treat a particular condition, you should consider the following precautions:

- Consult your Ayurvedic practitioner before taking Ayurvedic products on your own. Let them know if you have diabetes or are taking medication that may affect your treatment plan. They should adjust it to avoid any harmful interactions with the medication you are taking.

- Some Ayurvedic products and practices are banned in the United States. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) does not approve or review Ayurvedic products. Some herbal compounds or preparations may contain lead, mercury, or arsenic in toxic amounts.

They can cause serious illnesses in children and may be life-threatening for pregnant or lactating women and their babies. Other compounds from untrustworthy manufacturers may contain steroids, which may cause further health issues.

- Panchakarma treatments aren’t suitable for all patients. Eligibility for panchakarma is determined by an Ayurvedic practitioner.

People who are classified as having “weak” or lean and thin bodies aren’t eligible for panchakarma treatments. People who are anemic and pregnant women also aren’t allowed to undergo panchakarma treatments.

WARNING:

- Make sure to disclose to your primary care physician that you are seeing an Ayurvedic practitioner and are taking Ayurvedic formulations. This ensures you stay safe and avoid medication interactions that might cause serious side effects.

- If you are taking medication for diabetes, don’t stop taking them if you begin Ayurvedic treatment unless your doctor approves it.

- Some Ayurvedic practitioners may not be qualified to treat you. Make sure that your Ayurvedic practitioner is well-trained, certified, and has the relevant experience to meet your needs.

- Be careful when buying Ayurvedic herbs or formulas. Don’t buy Ayurvedic products unless they have a GMP (Good Manufacturing Product) stamp on them if you are buying them from India. Be extra careful when purchasing herbs online because online stores may be selling counterfeit products.

Ayurveda for Glaucoma: side effects

Since Ayurvedic treatments are derived from natural herbs and plants, most treatments do not cause adverse events. However, if you take some Ayurvedic preparations or herbs, you may experience the following side effects.

- Some Ayurvedic products contain toxic amounts of heavy metals like lead, arsenic, or mercury, and they might cause heavy metal poisoning.

- Some Ayurvedic herbal formulations might cause headaches, nausea, gastrointestinal problems, diarrhea, rashes, or allergic reactions.