Geriatric ophthalmology & Rasayana - Ayurvedic perspective.

Abstract

Aging is the process of physiological psychological and social change in multidimensional aspects. As like the other structures of human body it is obvious and inevitable that the eye is also involved with various ailments leading to the manifestations of different ocular diseases in old age Among them important diseases are cataract, presbyopia, glaucoma, age related macular degeneration and diabetic retinopathy etc

The pathological lesions in old age according to the ayurvedic concepts are swabhavika vhyadhis and it is difficult to cure completely so with an intension delay the Aging process Acharya recommend to start Rasayana therapy in middle age. Rasayana becomes more treat full and effective if it is preceded with suitable panchakarma. Triphala churna is advisable to all patients with diminished vision along with the honey and ghruta in unequal quantity which act as a Rasayana.

   As geriatric problems are not attributed to a single cause, the treatment should be planned according to stage of the disease and the involved dosha on the basis of that we are treating the diseases by applying Classical ayurvedic measures along with kriyakalpa. Intake of Rasayana in middle of the age followed by panchakarma, adopting pratimarsha nasya, doompana, gandoosha and Anjana as din charya administration of medication in early stage of disease are helpfull in delaying or arresting senile ocular condition.