An Ayurvedic approach in the management of vitreous floaters: A case report

Abstract:

Vitreous floater is a commonly found eye condition in patients who complain of visualizing non-existing figures such as hair lines, black spots, and webs. Vitreous floaters are a sign of degeneration of vitreous gel, which if left untreated may cause severe irritation in the visual field of the patient. In modern science, floaters are treated with oral administration of antioxidants and pars plana vitrectomy surgeries. Conventional treatment options are not affordable to all patients and they may cause postoperative complications. These complications include moderate-to-severe pathophysiologies such as posterior vitreous detachment, traction retinal detachment, vitreous hemorrhage, macular edema, and full-thickness macular holes. A 56-year-old female patient who suffered from vitreous floaters was presented to Shalakya tantra outpatient department whose condition was managed by Ayurveda treatment approaches. The Triphala-yashti yoga was selected as a plan of treatment. The principle of treatment used in this study involves Ayurvedic medicines having an activity such as Chakshushya (~beneficial for eyes) to mitigate intravitreal oxidative stress, which has been linked to vitreous degeneration and associated symptoms. Changes in the symptoms were noted and the Short Floater Questionnaire score was reduced to 3.75/13 from 07/13 after three months of treatment. The utilization of a classical literature-based approach, combined with a methodology of identifying commonly mentioned botanicals within diverse mixtures, demonstrated favorable outcomes in the current study.