Ayurvedic treatment for Corneal Scar

Corneal scar (Also known as corneal opacity or corneal scarring) is a pathological condition in which the external most transparent layer of the eye, known as the cornea, is turned opaque. It can either be partially or entirely opaque.

The cornea is a gateway to the eyeball because the external world is open to the human being through the cornea only. The cornea is a highly specialized tissue comprising five layers: Epithelial layer, Bowman’s membrane, Corneal stroma, Descemet’s membrane, and Endothelium. Recently a sixth layer has also been detected in scientific studies.

The cornea catches the light rays reflected from the object and conducts it into the eyeball. When these light rays reflect from things, it carries all the details of the particular object, such as colour, shape, size, etc. Light rays refract in the refractive media of the eye. In our eyes, we have are four such refractive media. The external most one is the cornea. Next, behind that, comes the fluid medium Aqueous humour. The third layer is a crystalline lens made of mainly protein fibre. The final fourth layer is vitreous humour, a semi-fluid gelly-like protein structure. The light rays refract through all media and converge at a particular point on the retina. After that, a series of reactions take place. A nerve impulse gets formed. Look at how an external object changes into a biological factor, converted into actual visual sense in the brain. So, the process of developing vision starts from the cornea.

The functions of the cornea are :

• Conduction of light rays from the external world into the eyeball
• Initiate refraction of the light rays to converge on the retina
• Protection of the eyeball

The cornea performs these functions by three of its main properties :

1. Transparency of the cornea

Light rays can pass only through transparent media. So, the cornea’s transparency (without any corneal opacity or corneal scar) is the most important quality for its function. Any corneal scar or corneal opacity will be like just closing the gate. The light rays cannot pass inside the eyeball. 

2. Curvature of the cornea

The light rays pass through the air as a parallel bundle of rays, and they converge on a point only if the refraction is accurate. This refraction starts in the cornea by its specific curvature. So, if there is any abnormality in the cornea’s curvature, focussing on the correct point is not possible, and the visual defect will develop. 

3. Healthy epithelial layer on the surface of the cornea

The cornea has a primary role in protecting the eyeball’s interior, and it works as an entry barrier towards dust, foreign body, infective organism etc. For this, a perfectly functioning, healthy corneal surface is necessary. A tear film covers the corneal surface, and tear film together performs this function. So, any pathology le corneal scar or corneal opacity on the cornea’s surface will bring up serious aftereffects. Inflammations and infections may develop quickly.

It’s essential to understand the structure of the cornea. The eyeball consists of three layers: the fibrous layer, vascular layer, and nervous layer. The cornea, located at the angular most part of the fibrous layer, is responsible for transmitting light rays into the eye and refracting them to focus on a particular point. Transparency and curvature are crucial properties of the cornea for performing these functions.

Corneal scar refers to opacity within the cornea, which can significantly impact vision. The position and depth of the scar are important considerations. Central scars, affecting the central part of the cornea, are more serious as they directly impact vision. Peripheral scars, on the other hand, may not affect vision as much.

Corneal scars often result from corneal ulcers or lesions. The absence of direct blood supply to the cornea complicates the healing process. Blood vessels from the periphery may encroach upon the lesion during healing, leading to scar formation. Scar development occurs as a result of discarded cells being replaced by fibrous tissue.

Treatment for corneal scars differs from the treatment of ulcers or wounds. Before starting treatment for a scar, it’s crucial to ensure that inflammation has completely subsided. Ayurvedic treatment focuses on addressing the dominance of pitta during the inflammatory stage and balancing kapha during the scar stage.

During the scar stage, treatment aims to drain out the deposited fibrous tissue and promote the growth of transparent cells. Anjana treatments, such as Ropana Anjana or Lekhana Anjana, are commonly used to dissolve deposits and restore normalcy to the cornea.

Careful selection of medicines with properties specific to ocular tissues (Chakshusha), kapha shamana (balancing kapha), and lekhana or sodhana (draining out deposits) is essential for successful treatment. Along with external treatment procedures, oral medications play a significant role in the treatment of corneal scars, contributing to successful outcomes.