Diabetic Retinopathy is one of the most common diabetic eye disorders and a major cause of blindness. It is a result of the changes in the blood vessels of the retina. In some persons with diabetic retinopathy, blood vessels may swell and leak fluid. In others, abnormal new blood vessels appear on the surface of the retina. The peculiarity of diabetic retinopathy is that changes to the vision may not be visible at the early stage.
Diabetic retinopathy has four stages and they are: mild non proliferative retinopathy, moderate non proliferative retinopathy, severe non proliferative retinopathy and proliferative Retinopathy.
In the mild non proliferative retinopathy, micro aneurysms occur. They are small areas of balloon- like swelling in the retina's tiny blood vessels.
In the moderate non proliferative retinopathy, some blood vessels that nourish the retina are blocked.
In severe non proliferative retinopathy, more blood vessels are blocked thus depriving large areas of the retina from blood supply. These areas of the retina then send signals to the body to grow new blood vessels for nourishment.
Proliferative retinopathy is the advanced stage when the retina sends signals for nourishment. This triggers the growth of new blood vessels. These new blood vessels are abnormal and fragile. They grow along the retina and along the surface of the clear, vitreous gel that fills the inside of the eye. These blood vessels do not cause symptoms or vision loss by themselves. They have thin, fragile walls and if it is found that they leak blood, then severe vision loss and blindness may occur.
There are no major symptoms associated with this disease in the early stages. Even pain will not be felt in the initially.. The only symptom that can be noticed is the macular edema. It is a condition where blurred vision occurs when the macula- the part of the retina that provides sharp central vision swells due to the leaking fluid. However, if new blood vessels appear on the surface of the retina, it can bleed on to the eyes and the vision will then be blocked.
All treatments in Ayurveda are prescribed only after a careful diagnosis of the patient’s body constitution, family history, sex, age, stage of the disease etc. This will enable the patient to receive treatments that are specifically suited to his very needs. Ayurveda treatments will therefore vary from patient to patient.
The first consultation with an Ayurveda doctor, including the diagnosis will last for more than an hour. The basic step in the diagnosis will be to find the person’s body humor (Dosha) – Vata, Pita or Kapha, because it is the imbalance of these body humors that creates diabetic retinopathy
The dominance of dosha in a person is found by asking several questions on his behavior, food habits, sleeping patterns, age, height & weight, place of life, profession, health problems and medical reports etc. Ayurveda diagnosis comprises of clinical and laboratory tests also.
Pulse, tongue, nail, and eye examinations are important diagnosis methods used to reveal a person’s body humor and its imbalance. This will help the doctor in treating the disease
Pulse diagnosis in Ayurveda is not just counting the beats. It also reveals the health status of the entire body constitution, including the dosha imbalance and the health of the various body organs.
In tongue diagnosis, the doctor checks the general appearance, colour and coating of the tongue. In Ayurveda, as different areas of the tongue correspond to different organs of the body, the Ayurvedic practitioner can determine which organs of the body are out of balance by having a detailed tongue examination.
Nail examination is done to check the type, colour and shape of the person’s nail. Imbalances of doshas are easily detected on close examination.
In the eye diagnosis, the colour, size and even the shape of the eyes are important in determining the dosha dominance of a person. His mental status – nervousness, anxiety, confidence level etc – can also be learned through eye diagnosis.
A preliminary consultation with Ayurveda doctors online is also possible nowadays for guests worldwide.
After the diagnosis, the doctor sets out to treat the patient in a very systematic manner. This would include a set of appropriate Panchakarma treatments and Rasayana therapies .
The Panchakarma Treatments are meant to flush out the toxins, They are classified as pre-purification, main purification and post purification phases and include various types of therapies like oil massages, fermented liquid massages, medicinal enemas, herbal purification methods.
The Rasayana Therapies are meant to nourish the body, to bring the doshas back to balance and to regenerate the body.These comprise diet regulations, daily regimens, intake of oral medicines and ayurveda tonics, yoga and a stress free life. After the treatment the ayurveda doctors will advise you how to lead a healthy life. The beneifts and results of the treatment are shown only after the Rasyana Treatment is over and docotrs advise is strictly followed. The results will manifest itself normally after 3 to 4 weeks as the body takes time to regenerate itself.
Pre-purification therapies are the first ones applied to loosen the toxins, open up the circulation channels and get the body ready for discarding these wastes. These methods are highly relaxing for the body and mind.
The following pre-purification methods are usually adopted in curing diabetic retinopathy.
Snehapanamis an important pre purification therapy which consists of oral intake of medicated ghee and sesame oil for a specified number of days. This unique treatment helps flush out the toxins from the body. Amaltas, guggul, ginger, neem, onion, chopchini, tribhala etc. are some of the ingredients used for its preparation. Apart from being a purva karma treatment, snehapanam also improves the delicacy of the skin, enhances memory and the grasping power of an individual.
Sirodhara In this process herbal oil, medicated milk, medicated butter milk etc, are poured on the forehead in a specified manner for about 45-50 minutes. It is highly effective for diabetic retinopathy. Ingredients used in Sirodhara include gooseberry, nut grass tuber and sandalwood etc.
Tharpanam is an ayurvedic therapy especially suitable for the eyes. In Ayurveda tharpanam or tharpan means retention of medicines over the eyes for up to 30 minutes or more a day .Tharpanam therapy is highly effective in treating diabetic retinopathy, strain to the eyes, for improving eyesight, for strengthening the optic nerve and for preventing various eye diseases. It basically is an eye cleansing process and gives a cooling effect to the eyes. In tharpanam therapy, the eyes are bordered with a thick medical combination and the medicated oil is tshen retained over the eye.
Main purification therapies for Diabetic Retinopathy
This is the phase of elimination of toxins that were loosened at the pre purification treatment stage. These therapies are highly potential methods and are usually overseen by doctors. The commonly adopted Panchakarma treatments for diabetic retinopathy are Nasyam and Virechanam.
Nasyam is the pouring of herbal oil in drops in to the nostrils and inhaling the contents. This opens up the head channels and enables the herb extracts to act directly on the central nervous system. Nasyam treatment lasts for twenty to thirty minutes. The herbal oil is a blend of sesame oil mixed with herbs such as Sida plants,bael, vitex etc. Nasyam is highly effective in the treatment of diabetic retinopathy.
Virechanam consists of intake of safe herbal medicines leading to the elimination of the poisonous wastes through the anal route. This cleansing of the mid zone benefits the entire body system. The appetite and body strength increases making you a more active and energetic person.
These are body nourishing therapies to rejuvenate the body and mind after the Panchakarma treatments. They keep the enzymes in the tissue cells in their normal functioning condition, restore and balance the body functions and maintain the overall health and well being of an individual for much longer periods after the Panchakarma course. Rasayana includes oral medicines and diet regulation.
Oral medicines used for treating diabetic retinopathy will be extracts of pure medicinal herbs, leaves, spices etc. These are prepared specifically to restore the lost balance and to provide the needed inputs to cure diabetic retinopathy. Kashayam and Arishtam - herbal decoctions and fermentations Lehyams - semi solid formulation are commonly prescribed. Some of the herbs and spices used in the preparation of kashayams and lehyams for treating diabetic retinopathy patients include fenugreek, cinnamon, ginseng, turmeric, stevia etc.
Diet regulation will be suggested for patients suffering from diabetic retinopathy during and after the treatment. Patients should always consume warm foods as these are easier to digest than cold foods. Consumption of fruits and vegetables are recommended. Cereals like wheat and rice can be consumed.
Vegetable juices and soups are good. Juices of carrot, beetroot and cucumber mixed together are also beneficial.
You can find out your type of prakruthi and decide a diet for yourself.
Yoga and meditation are always beneficial and have always played a vital part in curing every type of disease. Yoga exercises done every day replenish and rebalance the physical and emotional systems that are depleted by the everyday stresses that lie so heavy on our lives. Yoga makes it possible to rest on a strong base of confidence and strength within oneself .
Life Style for Diabetic Retinopathy :Patients suffering from diabetic retinopathy should avoid tension, stress and anxiety in their daily lives. They are also advised to take at least one or two weeks rest after the Panchakarma experience. At this time the body is weak after the purification process and needs time to get back to normalcy. They should avoid direct exposure to the sun, late nights, viewing television for long periods and all forms of eye strains. However, light yoga postures, meditations and breathing exercises are advised .
