Introduction:
Have you imagined how challenging it is for someone to discern between the lovely colours that mother nature graced us? Colour vision deficiency, also referred to as colour blindness, affects many individuals globally in that they are not able to tell some colours or view colours normally. Ayurveda is an ancient medical tradition practised in India that uses organic prescriptions for general care of eyes and balanced physical functions. The post will highlight possible Ayurvedic treatments, dietary approaches, exercise regimes, and yogic and breath control techniques for CVD management. Furthermore, we shall discuss the recent studies on Ayurveda’s cure for depression and suggest practical ways of using this treatment.
Know About Colour Vision Deficiency:
colour vision deficiency or colour blindness, is a condition where an individual faces difficulty in distinguishing certain colours. It is a genetic disorder that can also be acquired in some cases. It is important to note that colour blindness is not a disease and does not indicate poor vision. A person can have good eyesight and still be colour blind. This condition affects males more commonly than females. A proper eye colour vision test can determine the type of colour blind in individuals.
There are three types of colour vision deficiency:
- Red-green colour vision deficiency
- Blue-yellow colour vision deficiency
- Total colour vision deficiency.
Detailed description of the types of colour blindness:
- Red-green colour vision deficiency: This is the most common type of colour blindness, which is caused by the lack of light-sensitive pigments in the cone cells responsible for recognizing red and green colours. As a result, these cells are not well-developed and do not function normally, making it challenging for individuals with this type of colour vision deficiency to differentiate between red and green colours.
- Blue-yellow colour vision deficiency: This is less common than red-green colour deficiency, where the cone cells responsible for recognizing blue and yellow colours also lack light-sensitive pigments. This deficiency causes the cells to be underdeveloped and not function properly, leading to misidentification of blue with green and yellow with violet.
- Total colour vision deficiency: This is the rarest and most severe type of colour blindness. In this type of colour vision deficiency, none of the cone cells responsible for colour assessment can detect colour, resulting in an inability to distinguish any colours at all. Individuals with this type of colour blindness can only see black, white, and gray.
Causes of colour blindness:
Colour blindness occurs due to the absence of certain colour-sensitive cells in the retina and can be genetic in nature. It can also result from various diseases like leukaemia, multiple sclerosis, alcoholism, Alzheimer’s disease, diabetes, glaucoma, and liver disease. Sudden shocks or strokes can
also lead to colour blindness. Additionally, certain antibiotics, drugs used to treat nervous disorders, tuberculosis, and high blood pressure can cause colour blindness. Exposure to industrial toxins such as fertilizers, carbon disulphide, carbon monoxide, and lead-containing chemicals can also lead to colour blindness.
Symptoms of colour blindness
Symptoms of colour blindness vary from person to person but commonly include difficulty seeing colours and brightness, an inability to differentiate between similar colours, and rapid side-to-side movement of the eyes in some cases.
Ayurvedic Remedies for reducing colour vision deficiency Symptoms:
Some of the remedies that help improve overall eye health and may have some benefits in managing color blindness symptoms are:
- Triphala: This is a blend of three powerful fruits- amla, haritaki, and bibhitaki, which have antioxidant properties and can help improve eye health.
- Amla: Amla or Indian gooseberry is loaded with Vitamin C and antioxidants. This fruit can help protect the retina from oxidative damage.
- Tuth Bhasma: Tuth Bhasma is an Ayurvedic herb that is derived from the purified cow’s urine. It is a very good source of minerals such as copper, zinc, and iron, which may help improve eye health and reduce the symptoms of color blindness. A lot of Ayurvedic eye drops are made using Tuth Bhasma and after a proper eye colour vision test, Ayurvedic doctors can prescribe the drops to individuals.
- Ashwagandha: Ashwagandha is an adaptogen herb that may support the reduction of stress, anxiety, and depression, which can contribute to color blindness symptoms.
- Trikatu: Trikatu is a blend of three spices- black pepper, long pepper, and ginger, which may help improve digestion and metabolism, leading to better absorption of nutrients that can support eye health.
- Palash: Palash is an Ayurvedic herb that is also known as Flame of the Forest. It is loaded with antioxidants, which can help protect the retina from oxidative damage. Palash may also help improve blood circulation to the eyes, leading to better vision. This is also a good herb that is used in the ayurvedic treatment for glaucoma.
Exercises for overall improvement of eye health:
There are some eye exercises that can help improve overall eye health and reduce eye strain, which may be beneficial for individuals with color blindness. Here are 15 examples of eye exercises that may be helpful:
- Blinking exercises
- Near-far focus exercises
- Eye rotations
- Figure 8 eye movements
- Eye aerobics
- Eye stretches
- Focus on a distant object
- Focusing on a nearby object
- Visual tracking exercises
- Eye massage
- Eye relaxation exercises
- Eye palming
- Eye yoga
- Eye rotations while humming
- Eye exercises with a pen or pencil
Conclusion:
Colour vision deficiency or color blindness is a condition that occurs when someone has problems distinguishing some colours. Geneticity also plays a vital role in this condition as color blindness can be inherited. Most important thing to consider is that colour blindness is not an illness, it is just the lack of ability to distinguish colors. One can have a healthy vision, but still be color-blind. This condition affects males more commonly than females. A proper eye colour vision test can determine the type of colour blind in individuals.
