Retinitis pigmentosa is a genetic disease that is passed from one generation to another. The condition has an adverse effect on the retina’s response to light. The light that enters our eyes is received by a light-sensitive layer of cells that convert the light rays into nerve signals. This responsive layer is known as the retina.
Retinitis pigmentosa degenerates the retina and affects the overall visibility. If overlooked or left unchecked for long it may result in permanent blindness. It has been found that most people who suffer from retinitis pigmentosa have a family history of this disease. Either both or one of their parents may suffer from this problem.
Retinitis pigmentosa treatment in Ayurveda slows down the progress of the disease and helps in maintaining a healthy vision for as long as possible.
Causes
A mutated gene is said to be responsible for the development of this condition. The mutation is often transferred from parents to their kids.
Symptoms
There are a number of symptoms that are closely associated with retinitis pigmentosa:
- Constant headache
- Night blindness
- Gradual loss of vision
- Growing insensitivity to light
- Disturbance in colour vision
- Reduced field of vision
Can Ayurveda Treat Retinitis Pigmentosa?
It is one of the first questions that comes to mind. So, the first thing that you need to know about is the prognosis. It is a degenerative disease that cannot be reversed. In simple words, Retinitis Pigmentosa has no cure. Ayurveda follows a systematic approach that arrests the progress of this disease. The primary aim of this treatment is to keep the existing visibility in check and delay the progress of the disease.
How Ayurveda Treats Retinitis Pigmentosa?
First things first, Ayurvedic treatment for retinitis pigmentosa can only be carried out by Ayurvedic eye specialists. So, please visit a certified Ayurvedic eye hospital for check-up and treatment. Ayurvedic hospitals use several effective and natural methods of eye treatment.
Ayurveda states that retinitis pigmentosa results from vitiation of all three doshas: Vata, pitta, and Kapha. The disturbance in these three doshas causes problems in vision. It interferes with the neurological control between the retina and the brain. The Ayurvedic ophthalmologist will first diagnose the stage of disease and create a treatment plan accordingly.
Normally, the treatment is carried out in two phases, the first phase revolves around detoxification or purification while the second phase focuses on revival of lost visibility to the best of possibility.
The first phase or the detoxification of the patient’s system is done with Panchakarma therapies, lifestyle, and diet modifications. The main therapies used in the process include:
- Snehapana
- Abhyangam
- Swedana
- Virechana
- Vasti
- Nasya
One the purification procedure is complete and doshas are stabilized, the doctors begin with the recovery process. It includes administration of herbal medicines, decoctions, and rasayanas that strengthen the optic nerve and retina. Slowly, these medicines restore the visual systems to their original healthy state and strengthen the conduct of nerve impulses between the optic nerve and brain. The constituents of the ayurvedic medicines used here nourish the retinal cells and restore the vision.
Alongside the Retinitis Pigmentosa treatment in Ayurveda, the patients are to follow a strict diet and lifestyle process. The patient needs to stay away from junk, freid, and all kinds of unhealthy food. The diet needs to be strictly vegetarian and full of vegetables and fruits. Yoga is also mandatory for most disease treatments. The retinitis pigmentosa patients need to take medicated ghee everyday compulsorily as long as the treatment is on. All these processes together help in arresting the degeneration of retinal cells and its rejuvenation to its original, natural state.
Prevention
- The patient must stay away from old and stale food.
- Make sure to stick to a healthy schedule and avoid staying up late at night.
- Restrict your mobile and laptop usage to urgent calls and tasks.
- Try to minimize your intake of spicy food tems.
- For any vision related problem it is a good idea to mix rock candy, butter, and black pepper and take it twice a day.
- Include amla juice in your diet on a regular basis.
- Cow ghee, fenugreek seeds, and drumsticks are considered beneficial for eye health. Try to include these in an optimum amount to your daily diet.
