Macular Degeneration

Macular Degeneration also known as Age Related Macular Degeneration or senile macular degeneration. As the name of the disease suggests, this is an age related disease that has worldwide prevalence. This may result in blurry or no vision at all in the centre of the visual field. However, it is not usually seen that there is no complete loss of vision, but at the centre that causes irritation as one finds it difficult to get a complete picture of the things in front. In Ayurveda, this disease can be considered as a type of timira (an eye disorder mentioned in ancient ayurvedic texts). In the following texts let us have a look at the causes, symptoms and management in the modern medicinal system and ancient Indian ayurvedic medicinal system.

The condition is age related thus the chances to get affected with this condition increases with advancing age. However, the exact cause of the condition is unknown. However there are some risk factors that can lead to the occurrence of the disease:

1. Age – Common above the people aged 50 or more
2. Family History – Can run in families
3. High Blood Pressure
4. Obesity
5. Smoking
6. Cardiovascular Disease
7. Low Antioxidants intake
8. Low levels of Vitamin D

Signs and Symptoms

• Fuzzy or blurred vision
• Difficulty in seeing accurately and fairly
• Distorted vision
• Eye floaters
• Sensitivity to light
• Hallucinations

Non Exudative Or Atrophic Armd Or Dry Amd

Broad designation has all forms of AMD that are not wet or neovascular. This form occurs when the macula gets thinner with age and tiny clumps of protein (drusen) build up. This results in pigment abnormalities that can be seen as cell loss in the retina (geographical atrophy). Usually results in loss of central vision.

Exudative ARMD or Wet AMD

Vision loss that can be due to abnormal growth of the vessels (choroidal neovascularization) in the capillaries of choroid. It is seen after the dry AMD however not always. The proliferation of these abnormal blood vessels in the retina can rupture can lead to blood and protein leakage below the macula. This can result in irreversible damage to the cells in the macula which could result in sudden vision loss.

• Slit lamp biomicroscopy
• Optical coherence tomography
• Feudal fluorescein angiography

• Dietary supplements and antioxidants
• Argon green laser photocoagulation
• Photodynamic therapy
• Transpupilory thermotherapy
• Surgical management
• Pharmacologic modulation with antiangiogenic agents

In Ayurveda, the disease can be correlated with timira or a type of timira (vataja). However, timira is not at all Macular Degeneration. Timira, in ayurveda, is a slow and progressive disease of the eye. Acharya Sushruta and Acharya Vagbhata have mentioned different symptoms according to dosha and dushti in the patal (layers/coverings of the eye). However this can be said that in this condition the three dosha are vitiated along with the rakta and mamsa dhatu.

Causative factors in the eye disorders are immersing in cold water immediately after getting exposed to sun and heat, abnormal sleeping habits (untimely), continuous weeping, anger, grief, excessive indulgence in sexual activity, suppression of natural urgence, excessive exposure to smoke, watching minute objects for longer duration. Due to these doings, doshas vitiate with predominance of vata. This vitiated vata dosha goes up and takes sthanasamsaraya in the patala of the eye and causes vataja timira.

Vataja Timira has following symptoms:

Straight line of the object appears curved (vyavidhaiva darshana), object appears to be hazy, moving and of orange colour (avila, chala, arunabha darshana), non existing objects like hairs, cobwebs, flies and hair appear before him. Now there is some comparison can be made with these two condition according to their similar symptoms like blurring of vision (avila – hazy), distorted vision (vyavidha – straight line appears curved) and central scotoma (pashyathyasyamanasikam – person sees the face as noseless).

Management includes ghritapana, ghee can be administered orally, nostril instillation and tarpana (eye nourishment). Ghee used in this condition are dashmoola sidha ghrita, panchmoola sidha ghrit, triphala ghrita. Nasya can be given with jeevantyadi ghrta, sita eranda taila, trivritam taila. Anjana (application of the medicines on the grey line of the lower eyelid) with sukhavati varti, chandrodaya varti, chandanadya varti, vasadyanjana. Shirobasti can be used. Netratarpana can be administered with ghee medicated with kushta, dvaya kakoli, yashthi, sarala, devdaru, pippali and prapoundrika. Commonly used ghrita for tarpana are jeevantyadi ghrita, triphaladi ghrita, mahatriphaladi ghrita and patoladi ghrita. Lepa can be applied over the eyes with paste prepared from vidanga, maricha, madhuka and milk.

Other than this, some of the things that are good for consumption are old ghee, shatavari, patola, mudga, karira, karavella, shigru, barley and triphala. Things to be avoided are salty, sour food, black gram, horse gram, katutaila and dadhi.

The good news is that Macular Degeneration is preventable and reversible, but can only be possible by using holistic approach, the one advocated in Ayurveda that addresses the issues from the very root.

Since ancient times, Ayurveda has defined diseases with their symptoms, causes and healing methods with nature.

If you are having any of the above mentioned symptoms, don’t assume it is Macular Degeneration yet without any proper diagnosis because there are other body related diseases that comes with the same symptoms. Consult with a Doctor for accurate diagnosis to find out if Macular Degeneration is what you are having or any other related disease.