As per Ayurveda, colour blindness is included under ‘drishti netra roga’. Colour blindness is the inability to perceive or distinguish colours like blue, green, and red. There are rare chances that someone with this problem is entirely colour-blind and unable to discern any colours. A person with this disease also struggles to identify different shades and hues.
John Dalton, an English scientist, first identified this eye disease in 1798, when he was also suffering from the problem of being colour-blind. His first article, about colour blindness, was based on his own experience, which is why this eye disorder is also referred to as Daltonism in honour of John Dalton’s discovery.
Causes
Two light-sensitive cells, the rod and cone cells, can be found in the retina of a healthy human eye. The cone cells, which are in charge of colour vision, are for typical, bright light, whereas the rod cells are for low light. When these two light-sensitive cells are unable to operate, it results in colour blindness.
There are numerous causes of colour blindness:
Janmakrita (genetic cause)
Colour deficit due to inheritance is much more likely to happen in males than females. Red-green insufficiency is the most frequent colour deficit, while blue-yellow deficiency is far less frequent. Therefore, it is uncommon to be ultimately colour-blind. Usually, both eyes are affected by inherited colour impairments, and the severity doesn’t change over time.
Excess vitiation of doshas in eyes
Ayurveda claims that the imbalance of the doshas is a primary contributing factor to colour blindness.
Use of some medicines
Various medicines, including those used to treat some autoimmune diseases, heart conditions, high blood pressure, erectile dysfunction, infections, neurological disorders, and psychiatric issues, can affect how you see colour.
Diseases
Sickle cell anaemia, diabetes, macular degeneration, Alzheimer’s disease, multiple sclerosis, glaucoma, Parkinson’s disease, persistent alcoholism, and leukaemia are a few ailments that can result in colour impairments. However, one eye may be more impacted than the other, and the colour deficit may improve if the underlying condition can be treated.
Chemicals
Loss of colour vision may result from exposure to certain chemicals at work, such as carbon disulfide and fertilisers.
Ageing
As you get older, your capacity for colour vision slowly declines.
Symptoms
You might not be aware that you have colour vision impairment. Some people become conscious of their condition when they begin to experience difficulty reading or learning materials with colour-coded content or discerning the colours in a traffic signal.
A dosha imbalance and a deficiency in the drishti mandala in the eyes cause colour blindness symptoms. As per Ayurveda, the foremost reason for colour blindness is ‘Nashta varna darsana’, which means trouble distinguishing different colour hues. Other symptoms of this eye condition include rapid eye movement, sensitivity to intense light and difficulty with colour perception and brightness
Diagnosis
History taking
Examination of retinal changes
It assists the eye care professional in diagnosing disease and monitor changes over time.
Ishihara plate test
This test is frequently used for regular colour vision testing. There are 38 plates of circles in all, and they are made up of sporadic coloured dots that use two or more colours. Patients are prompted to identify a number on a plate during this diagnosis
Screening test
This test is primarily used to identify colour blindness and assess its kind and severity.
Ayurvedic treatment for colour blindness
Local ayurvedic treatment for colour blindness involves Netra tarpana with triphala ghita. The samana treatment comprises the ingestion of triphala churna and honey, Triphaladi Ghana vati and Saptamrita loha. Furthermore, ayurvedic sodhana treatment for colour blindness includes Nasya, which means nasal medications.
Diet and tips
- Intake of Indian gooseberry daily
- Avoid hot, pungent, salty, dry, and difficult-to-digest foods that cause dosha imbalance
- Consume a vitamin A-rich, balanced diet
- Do regular yoga including ‘Nadi Shuddi Pranayam’ as it relieves the eye irritations brought on by colour blindness and soothes the mind
- Save time on the screen, including mobile phones, television or computers
- Take proper rest, especially between work
- Resist being in the sun’s direct path
- Prevent being around smoke and dust
Furthermore, if you suspect you have problems distinguishing specific colours or your vision changes, you should see an eye doctor for testing.
Likewise, if you are looking for an effective treatment for colour blindness, you can consult Dr. Basu Eye Hospital, a pioneer in ayurvedic eye care for 42 years. With cutting-edge technologies and a highly-skilled staff of experienced doctors, you can get a root cause treatment for this eye disorder with an ayurvedic approach without surgery.
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