Ayurvedic management of Dry eye disease: A case report

Introduction: Dry eye has been defined by the International Dry Eye Workshop as a “A multifactorial disease of the ocular surface characterized by a loss of homeostasis of the tear film, and accompanied by ocular symptoms, in which tear film instability and hyperosmolarity, ocular surface inflammation and damage, and neurosensory abnormalities play etiological roles’’. Prevalence of dry eye disease is estimated to be 5% to 35% worldwide i.e., 1 out of every 3 to 7 patients could have this condition and is higher in India than the global prevalence, ranging from 18.4% to 54.3%. Contemporary medicine is by instillation of artificial tear supplements and preservation of natural tears, mainly this has a local effect only and, it can’t break the root cause of pathology which often results in recurrence. In Ayurveda it can be correlated with Shushkaakshipaka. Materials & Methods: A 62-year-old female patient complaining of Dryness, foreign body sensation, difficulty to open and close eyes from 3months and diagnosed as severe dry eye disease. Ayurvedic assessment of the condition revealed impaired Agni and the presence of Ama. She underwent Ayurveda treatment Which consist of Deepana Pachana with Amruthotharam Kashaya, Koshta Sodhana with Avipathikara churna, Netra Seka with Saindhava Lavana and Godugdha, Shunthyadi Aschyotana, Marsha Nasya with Anutaila Tarpana with Ghrita Manda and orally Mahatriphaladi Ghrita and Rasayana churna. Results: At the end of the study, improvement in dryness, foreign body sensation, difficulty to open and close eyes, Schirmer’1 test and tear film breakup time in both eyes were found. Discussion & Conclusion: The Ayurveda protocol encompassing Vatapitta shamana line of treatment was found to be effective in severe dry eye disease.