Causes Of Eye-Disease

The local Doshas deranged and aggravated by such causes as diving in water immediately after an exposure to the heat and the glare of the sun, (constant) gazing at distant objects, sleep in the day time and keeping up late hours in the night, fixed and steady gaze, excessive weeping or over-indulgence in grief, worry and fatigue, a blow or a hurt, sexual excesses, the partaking (in inordinate quantities) of Śukta, Áranala (fermented rice-water), acid gruel, Masha pulse, and Kulattha pulse, voluntary repression of any call of nature, exposure (of the eyes) to smoke or dust, trickling down of the drops of sweat (into the eyes), excessive or impeded vomiting, repression of tears, constant contraction of the eyes to adjust the sight to extremely small objects, etc., beget disorders of the organs of vision. 14.

Classification Of The Eye-Diseases

Seventy-six different kinds of eye-diseases have been come across in practice; of these ten arc originated by the deranged Váyu, ten by Pitta and thirteen by Kapha. Sixteen are produced by vitiated blood, and twenty-five by the concerted action of the deranged Doshas (Tri-Doshaja), and lastly, two are produced by external causes i. e., they are traumatic in their origin. 15.

Prognosis Of The Vataja Type

Of the diseases of the eyes which are due to the action of the deranged Vayu, those known as Hatádhimantha, Nimi-sha, Gambhirika affecting the vision, and Vata-hata-vartma (Vayu-afflicted Sclerotic coat) is said to be incurable. A temporary cure (Yápya) is all that can be effected in a case of Kácha (cataract) due to the action of the deranged bodily Váyu; while the affection of the eyes known as the Anyato-Váta, Adhi-mantha (ophthalmia), Śushkákshi-páka, Abhishyanda and Maruta-Paryaya are curable. 16.

Prognosis Of The Pittaja Type

Of the diseases due to the deranged action of the Pitta known as Hrasva-jadya and Jala-srâva should be deemed incurable; and palliative measures are the only remedies in cases of Kácha, Parimlayi and Nila, while Abhishynda, Adhi-mantha Amladhyushita, Sůktiká, Pitta-Vidagdha-Drishti, Pothaki and Lagana are curable. 17.

Prognosis of Kaphaja Type - Of the diseases due to the aggravation of Kapha, the one known as the Sráva-roga is incurable and (Kaphaja) Kacha (cataract) admits of only palliative treatment, while a cure may be be effected in the following cases, viz,, Abhishyanda (conjunctivitis), Adhi-mantha, Balasa-Grathita, Sleshma-Vidagdha-Drishti, Pothaki, Lagana, Krimi-granthi, Pariklinna-Vartma, Suklárma, Pishtaka, Śleshmo-panáha. 18.

Prognosis Of The Raktaja Type

Of the diseases of the eyes due to the vitiated condition of the blood, those known as Raktasrava, Ajakajata, Avalambita (pendent), Sonitars'as and Sukra-roga should be regarded as incurable, and the type of Kacha (cataract) due to the same cause admits of only palliative measures, while the diseases known as Adhi-mantha, Abhishyanda, Klishta-vartma, Sirâ-harsha and Sirotpáta, Anjana, Sirâ-jála, Parvani, Avrana (non-ulcerated), Sukra-roga, Śonitárma and Arjuna may be included within the group of curables. 19.

Prognosis Of The Tridoshaja Type, Etc

Of the eye-diseases due to the concerted action of the three aggravated Doshas, those known as Puya-srava, Nakulándhya, Akshipakatyaya and Alaji arc incurable and palliative measures are only possible in cases of Kâcha (cataract) or Pakshma-kopa; while those known as Vartmávabandha, Sirája-pidakâ, Prastár-yarma, Adhi-mánsárma, Snayvarma, Utsangini, Puya-lasa, Arvuda, Śyáva-vartma, Kardama-vartma, Ars'o-vartma, Śukrśrs'as, Śarkará-vartma, the two forms of inflammation with or without local swelling known as) Sas'opha-páka and As'opha-páka, Bahala-vartma, Kumbhiká and Visa-vartma yeild to the curative efficacy of appropriate remedial agents. Both the forms of eye-disease due to the external causes * should be considered as incurable. 20 - 21.

Their Localities

Thus we have finished enumerating the seventy-six types of eye-diseases, of which nine are confined to the Sandhis (binding-unions), twenty-one to the Vartma (eye-lids), eleven to the Sukla-bhága (the Vitreous body), four to the Krishna bhága (the region of the Choroid), seventeen to the entire region (eye-ball) and twelve to the region of the Drishti (pupil or thecrystalline lens, etc.). The

*The one due to any external blow or hurt (Sa-nimitta) and the other originating from the sudden sight of any celestial being of extreme brilliancy (A-nimitta)two cases due to the extraneous cause (are chiefly located in the Drishti though affecting the whole of the eye-ball and) arc very painful and incurable. The characteristic symptoms of all these will be hereafter described in detail. 22 - 23.

Thus ends the first chapter of the Uttra-lantra in the Sus'rula Samhitá which deals with the diseases, viz. of the eye, etc.