Ayurvedic management of Dhumadarshi (central serous chorioretinopathy): A case report

Central serous chorioretinopathy (CSCR) is characterized by serous detachment of the neurosensory retina at the posterior pole with or without focal pigment epithelial detachment and altered retinal pigment epithelium. In most cases, treatment helps restore the vision, but no treatment could maximize the final visual gain. In Ayurveda, visual-related conditions are included in the Drishtigata Roga (diseases causing visual disturbance). CSCR based on clinical presentation can be categorized under Dhumadarshi . A 42-year-old female came to the outpatient department of Shalakya tantra with the complaint of dimness in vision in the left eye (OS: oculus sinister) for 2 days, along with a black spot in the center of her vision while walking. On examination, unaided distant visual acuity was 6/36 in the left eye (OS) and 6/9 in the right eye (OD: oculus dexter). On optical coherence tomography examination, it was diagnosed as a case of CSCR. Interventions included in this study were on an outpatient basis with the potential action of Shothahara (anti-inflammatory), Vatanulomana (pacification of obstructed Vata), Medhya (intellect enhancer), and Drishtiprasadana (enhancing eyesight). At the end of the consultation, the vision was restated to normal, and the accumulation of subretinal fluid was completely resolved. In conclusion, Ayurvedic intervention can aid in accelerating visual restoration and reducing accumulation of subretinal fluid.