Dr Vasant Lad offers his wisdom for Ayurveda and Eye Health
Dr. Vasant Lad
Q: I am twenty-seven years old and have been suffering from floaters in both eyes for the past seven months. When I look at anything, I see two to three black spots and cloud-like formations coming into view which are highly irritating; these move as my eye moves. I have been to the doctor and had various tests and was told that my eyes are healthy and there is no cure for floaters, you only have to bear it. Over time, I am observing that the floater size is gradually increasing. Is it possible to remove these floaters? And has anyone received any relief through Ayurvedic medicines?
A: According to Ayurveda, there is a special transparent thin liquid gelatinous kapha (water and earth elements) substance in the eye called vitreous humour located in the posterior and the anterior chambers of the eyeball. This vitreous humour is constantly circulating from the anterior chamber into the posterior chamber and vice versa in order to maintain the pressure inside the eye.
In pitta (fire element) predominant individuals with secondary kapha and vata (air and space elements) dosha, they develop very subtle crystals because of improper circulation of vitreous humour from the posterior to the anterior chamber. So the vitreous humour stagnates within the eyeball. These microcrystals float and if you look at the empty space in the blue sky, you will see one or two or many bubbles, floating in the sky of eye.
Eye Exercises
In order to deal with this problem, one should do eye exercises. Remove your glasses and sit quietly in a cross-legged posture either facing east or north.
While doing eye exercises, you may ask why you should face east or north. The Earth is a big mega magnet and the North Pole is a positive pole. The positive magnetic energy lines come from the north and travel south while the negative lines come from the south and go north. If you face north you will get the benefit of the positive magnetic pole. The east is the direction of the Sun and solar energy and when you face the east, you face the direction of the rising Sun. According to Ayurveda, after conception happens, whenever the mother is seeing sunlight, those light particles come from the Sun into the woman’s body through her eyes and stimulate the formation of the eyeball in the baby. Our eyes are the creation of solar energy, which is why one should face east or north while doing eye exercises, meditation or pranayama (breathing practices or exercises).
How to Practice Eye Exercises
- Look up with your eyes as much as you can without moving your head and neck; just roll the eyeballs.
- Look up then down three times.
- Look to the extreme right and left three times.
- Look diagonally from the right upper corner to the left lower corner of the eyes and then the left upper corner to the right lower
corner, three times in each direction. - Gently rotate the eyeball along the periphery of the field of vision three times clockwise and then three times counterclockwise.
- Then look at the tip of the nose, just for twenty seconds.
- Then look at the third eye beneath the eyebrows for ten to twenty seconds.
- Rapidly blink the eyelids for half a minute.
- Tightly close the eyes while you’re smiling and relax for two minutes.
- After two minutes, rapidly rub your hands together, right over left, generating heat and energy. With your eyes closed, place the palms of your hands over your eyes for a gentle palming of the eyes.
- This practice is used to improve circulation of the vitreous humour and can help dissolve crystals and improve eyesight.
Another very beautiful exercise to do with your glasses removed and while sitting comfortably is to stretch your hand straight out in front of your with your index finger pointed vertically upward to the heavens. While looking at the tip of your index finger, gradually bring that finger closer and closer until you touch your third eye. Continue to look at the tip of your index finger and slowly start to take your index finger away from your third eye. Do this exercise three to five times in one sitting.
Yoga and Meditation
It is my experience that surya namaskar, sun salutation, done a minimum of twelve times every day in the morning, while facing east and then sitting quietly and meditating is a very powerful exercise to improve eyesight.
Meditate with the So Ham meditation: inhale with the sound “so” and exhale with the sound “ham.”
Nutrition and Herbal Care
Drink a mixture of carrot and beet juice, at least one-half cup in the morning.
Another simple domestic remedy for floaters is: boil one-half teaspoon triphala in one cup of water for three minutes, cool the tea to body temperature or lower and strain with a coffee filter. Use that filtered water to wash the eyes using an eye cup. Give the eyes a bath in an eye cup with triphala tea water; this is the best tonic for the eyes. According to Ayurveda, it can help improve eyesight and remove floaters.
More about Dr Vasant Lad
Dr. Vasant Lad, BAMS, MASc, founded the Ayurvedic I Institute in 1984 and is its principal instructor and director. He graduated with a Bachelor of Ayurvedic Medicine and Surgery (BAMS) from the University of Pune, India, in 1968 and received a Master of Ayurvedic Science (MASc) in 1980 from Tilak Ayurved Mahavidyalaya, also in Pune. He held the position of Professor of Clinical Medicine at the Pune University College of Ayurvedic Medicine where he was an instructor for more than a decade. Dr. Lad is the author of several books: ayurveda.com. At the National Ayurvedic Medical Association Conference in April, Dr. Vasant Lad will be presenting. For more information, visit: ayurveda-nama.org.
Felicia Tomasko has spent more of her life practicing Yoga and Ayurveda than not. She first became introduced to the teachings through the writings of the Transcendentalists, through meditation, and using asana to cross-train for her practice of cross-country running. Between beginning her commitment to Yoga and Ayurveda and today, she earned degrees in environmental biology and anthropology and nursing, and certifications in the practice and teaching of yoga, yoga therapy, and Ayurveda while working in fields including cognitive neuroscience and plant biochemistry. Her commitment to writing is at least as long as her commitment to yoga. Working on everything related to the written word from newspapers to magazines to websites to books, Felicia has been writing and editing professionally since college. In order to feel like a teenager again, Felicia has pulled out her running shoes for regular interval sessions throughout Southern California. Since the very first issue of LA YOGA, Felicia has been part of the team and the growth and development of the Bliss Network.