Night Blindness - Know Ayurvedic Treatment For It!

The retina is the layer of the cells which lies in the back of the eyeball. This layer acts as the surface of image formation when the light enters into the eye. When light is reflected onto the retina, optic nerve connected to these cells send impulses to the brain and recognize the image.

In the normal functioning of the eye, the eyes quickly adjust to the light modulation in the surroundings which is sensed by the retina. It is when retina cells lose their ability to sense the change in the light that causes blindness.

Night blindness is characterized by the impaired vision in the dark or in the dim light. This condition is caused by improper functioning of the particular vision cells of the retina.

Causes

Night blindness or nyctalopia can occur due to various conditions that degenerated the rods of the retina part of the eye. This condition is not a disease in itself but a symptom of an underlying disease of the eye. Some of them are as follows:

• Inherited degeneration of the retina (Retinitis Pigmentosa)

• Deficiency of Vitamin A

• Myopic condition of the eye

• Deficiency of Zinc

• Glaucoma

• Cataracts

All of these causes reflect the condition of night blindness.

Symptoms

Night blindness causes difficulty to interpret the dark surroundings. One can identify night blindness if one is suffering from:

• Eye pain

• Headache

• Vomiting

• Nausea

• Cloudy vision

• Insensitivity to light

• Reduction in the field vision

Apart from the medicinal to cure for this condition, there is a mention of treating this condition in Ayurveda as well.

Night Blindness Treatment in Ayurveda

Ayurveda is based on the balance of three doshas in our body: Vata, Pitta, and Kapha. Any disruption in these doshas calls for the improper functioning of the body and various ailments as well. Similarly, the disturbance in the balance of three doshas in the eye results in vision problems.

Ayurvedic treatment for the condition of night blindness is mainly executed in two stages, the purification and rejuvenation. For the purification method, various ayurvedic techniques are used such as Snehapana, Swedana, Vasthi, Abhayangam, Virechana, and Nasya to detoxify the body of impurities. The aim of this method is to stabilize the balance of the three doshas.

Next, for the rejuvenation process, the patient is administered with various kinds and combination of ayurvedic Rasayanas. The rejuvenation process provides nourishment to the retina and hence restores the vision.

Take Away

Apart from the ayurvedic method, the patient can include wood apple (IBael, or Aegle marmelos), bilberry, Vitamin A rich fruits and vegetables, rue herb, and zinc supplements as home remedies for improving the night vision.

Night blindness is caused by improper functioning of the retina. It is rather a symptom of the underlying eye condition. Ayurveda is a natural and harmless way to improve and restore the night vision.