Diabetes mellitus is a metabolic disease that causes high blood glucose. Diabetic retinopathy is the complication of diabetes that affects the eyes.

SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS OF DIABETIC RETINOPATHY
CAUSES OF DIABETIC RETINOPATHY
PATHOPHYSIOLOGY OF DIABETIC RETINOPATHY
DIAGNOSIS OF DIABETIC RETINOPATHY
TREATMENTS FOR DIABETIC RETINOPATHY
PROGNOSIS OF DIABETIC RETINOPATHY
COMPLICATIONS OF DIABETIC RETINOPATHY
DIABETIC RETINOPATHY AND AYURVEDA
NIDANA- AYURVEDIC CAUSES OF DIABETIC RETINOPATHY
PURVAROOPAM- AYURVEDIC PREMONITORY SYMPTOMS OF DIABETIC RETINOPATHY
SAMPRAPTI – AYURVEDIC PATHOGENESIS OF DIABETIC RETINOPATHY
LAKSHANA- AYURVEDIC SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS OF DIABETIC RETINOPATHY
AYURVEDIC PROGNOSIS OF DIABETIC RETINOPATHY
CHIKITSA- AYURVEDIC TREATMENT FOR DIABETIC RETINOPATHY
AYURVEDIC SAMANA TREATMENT FOR DIABETIC RETINOPATHY
AYURVEDIC SODHANA TREATMENT FOR DIABETIC RETINOPATHY
COMMONLY USED AYURVEDIC MEDICINES FOR DIABETIC RETINOPATHY
HOME REMEDIES FOR DIABETIC RETINOPATHY
DIET AND BEHAVIOUR FOR DIABETIC RETINOPATHY
YOGA FOR DIABETIC RETINOPATHY
RESEARCH PAPERS OF AYURVEDIC MANAGEMENT OF DIABETIC RETINOPATHY

SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS OF DIABETIC RETINOPATHY

Blurred vision
Distorted vision
Impaired colour vision
Seeing spots (eye floaters)
Loss of vision

CAUSES OF DIABETIC RETINOPATHY

Uncontrolled diabetes is the cause of retinopathy
Diabetes caused due to:
Family history
Certain medications
Type 1 DM – Failure of the pancreas to produce enough insulin
Type 2 DM – Caused due to insulin resistance
Gestational diabetes

PATHOPHYSIOLOGY OF DIABETIC RETINOPATHY

In type 1 DM, symptoms may develop rapidly. It is also called insulin-dependent DM. In the case of type 2 DM, cells fail to respond to insulin properly. So type 2 DM is called non-insulin dependent DM. Uncontrolled diabetes can lead to the blockage of the tiny blood vessels that nourish the retina, so the blood supply in the retina obstructed. As a result, the eye attempts to grow new blood vessels. But these new blood vessels don’t develop properly and can leak easily.

DIAGNOSIS OF DIABETIC RETINOPATHY

Diagnosis through clinical features
Blood tests – to measure the blood glucose level (Random blood sugar, FBS, PPBS, Glycated haemoglobin (A1C) test)
Vision tests
Fluorescein angiography
Optical coherence tomography (OCT)

TREATMENTS FOR DIABETIC RETINOPATHY

Antidiabetic medications
Insulin therapy
Focal laser treatment
Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) inhibitors injecting into the eyes

PROGNOSIS OF DIABETIC RETINOPATHY

The early diabetic retinopathy is manageable with medications. Untreated diabetic retinopathy leads to complications.

COMPLICATIONS OF DIABETIC RETINOPATHY

Retinal detachment
Vitreous haemorrhage
Complete loss of vision

DIABETIC RETINOPATHY AND AYURVEDA

In Ayurveda, diabetic retinopathy is known as ‘madhumehajanya timira’
It is managed based on ‘prameha chikilsa’ and ‘timira chikilsa’.

NIDANA- AYURVEDIC CAUSES OF DIABETIC RETINOPATHY

Excess consumption of unctuous and sweet food
Janma krita – congenital
Lack of exercise
Sedentary life
Excess consumption of jaggery, milk and milk products

PURVAROOPAM- AYURVEDIC PREMONITORY SYMPTOMS OF DIABETIC RETINOPATHY

Blurred vision

SAMPRAPTI – AYURVEDIC PATHOGENESIS OF DIABETIC RETINOPATHY

Due to the above-mentioned causes, 20 types of Prameha manifested due to the interaction of the three doshas and ten dushyas. This disease is closely related to Sthaulya (i.e., obesity). Sahaja Prameha and Jatah Pramehi correlate with type 1 diabetes mellitus; Apathyanimittaja Prameha correlates with type 2 diabetes mellitus. When the excess dosha accumulates in the eyes of persons with uncontrolled diabetes, the ‘madhumehajanya timira’ manifested.

LAKSHANA- AYURVEDIC SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS OF DIABETIC RETINOPATHY

Diminished vision – heena drishti
Syava varna darsana – blackish or greyish spots in the vision

AYURVEDIC PROGNOSIS OF DIABETIC RETINOPATHY

Yapya roga – symptoms are manageable with Ayurvedic medicines

CHIKITSA- AYURVEDIC TREATMENT FOR DIABETIC RETINOPATHY

AYURVEDIC SAMANA TREATMENT FOR DIABETIC RETINOPATHY

Nishakatakadi kashayam
Nishamalaka churna
Aveera beeja churna
Vasantha kusumakara ras
Kataka khadiradi kashayam
Chandra prabha gulika
Lodhrasavam – after food
Amrita mehari churna
Kanmada bhasma
Shivagulika
Internal administration of triphala churna along with honey
Triphaladi Ghana vati
Saptamrita loha
Netra bandha with Kadalikandha
Padabhyanga with Ksheerabala taila
Netra seka with kwatha of Triphala, Yastimadhu, Lodra and Musta
Bidalaka with Triphalachoorna and Rasanjana
Shirodhara (Takradhara) with vasaguduchyadikwatha
Tarpana with Mahatriphala ghrita

AYURVEDIC SODHANA TREATMENT FOR DIABETIC RETINOPATHY

Virechana – purgation
Vasthi – medicated enema
Nasya – anutaila, durvadi ghrita, shatbindhu taila

COMMONLY USED AYURVEDIC MEDICINES FOR DIABETIC RETINOPATHY

Internal administration

Nishakatakadi kashayam
Nishamalaka churna
Aveera beeja churna
Vasantha kusumakara ras
Kataka khadiradi kashayam
Chandra prabha gulika
Lodhrasavam
Amrita mehari churna
Kanmada bhasma
Shivagulika

HOME REMEDIES FOR DIABETIC RETINOPATHY

Exercise regularly
Intake of Indian gooseberry with turmeric powder and honey

DIET AND BEHAVIOUR FOR DIABETIC RETINOPATHY

Avoid food items that produce dosha imbalance like unctuous food, hard to digest. Because dosha imbalance aggravates the symptoms.
Consume a balanced diet rich in vitamin A
Avoid more oily foods, junk foods, sugar-containing diet

YOGA FOR DIABETIC RETINOPATHY

Nadi Shuddi Pranayam

The patient needs to be seated in a meditative posture with the head and spine erect, with the body relaxed. The patient has to close his one nostril (e.g. left nostril if using the right hand and vice versa) with the thumb and exhale completely through the other nostril. Again, he will have to breathe in deeply through the other nostril while the opposite nostril is still closed with the thumb.