How To Take Care Of Your Eyes With Ayurveda Eye Care Tips And Treatments

By Katie Pierce

Ayurvedic medicine or Ayurveda is an ancient holistic healing practice that dates back thousands of years. It was developed and performed in India but has recently become more prevalent in Western cultures. Ayurvedic practices are based on the assumption that a person’s well-being hinges on a careful balance between the body, mind, and spirit. Its purpose is not to cure illnesses; instead, it encourages people to focus on creating a healthier and more balanced life.

The “Shalakya Tantra” describes intensive eye care as a vital component of Ayurveda. It contains a collection of straightforward strategies that one can use to safely and efficiently manage eye health. While some of these methods may be considered “primitive,” they are nevertheless viable and can still be practiced in today’s society to help prevent lifestyle-related ocular problems. 

If you have an insatiable curiosity for biohacking wellness, here are a few Ayurvedic eye care tips and treatments to try out at home.

Ayurveda Eye Care Tips and Treatments

The eyes play a critical role in a person’s quality of life. Proper eye care can help prevent eye strain, soothe irritated or inflamed eyes, and alleviate ocular dryness. Use the following Ayurvedic eye care tips and treatments to maintain or strengthen eye health. 

Eye Washing Routine

Society today is much more reliant on digital devices than it ever was before. Almost every industry and sector now uses digital technology in their daily operations. Similarly, people also use digital devices to accomplish personal and professional tasks. 

Your eyes undergo a lot of stress when faced with too much light from these technologies. This often leads to ocular dryness and soreness in the muscles around the eyes. Ayurvedic medicine can help keep your eyes healthy and your vision clear. 

One of the simplest and most popular Ayurvedic practices is the eyewash routine. It encourages people to wash their eyes the first thing after waking up. What makes it different from normal face washing is that you must hold a mouthful of water while you wash your eyes. 

For best results, Ayurvedic eye washing should be done once or twice a week. Avoid using water that’s too cold or too hot, as this can have negative effects on your eye health. 

Netra Tarpana

Netra Tarpana is another simple yet highly effective Ayurvedic eye treatment. It comes from the Sanskrit words “netra” which means eyes and “tarpana” which means rehydration. When performing Netra Tarpana, the eyes are isolated using a frame made from powdered Masha paste. A lukewarm mixture called “ghee” or Ghrita is then poured over the eyes. Once the eyes are fully submerged in the ghee, the patient is asked to open and close their eyes alternately.

This treatment can rejuvenate and lubricate the eyes, improving vision and dryness. It can also expel impurities and other toxins that could negatively impact your health. Finally, Netra Tarpana can help remove dark spots below your eyes, restoring your skin’s natural complexion. 

Depending on how severe your problem is, Netra Tarpana can extend up to five days. If you have a less urgent eye ailment, one session should be enough.

Ayurveda Yoga

Although Yoga and Ayurveda are two different healing disciplines, both practices have branches that overlap on various levels with one another. For instance, Ayurvedic meditation is quite similar to the art of yoga in that it helps focus the mind to cultivate inner stillness and balance. On the other hand, Yoga uses Ayurvedic principles to encourage people to focus more on preventing illness as opposed to curing it. 

Trataka is a Yogic meditation exercise that’s often used in Ayurvedic medicine to improve vision and reduce the risk of blindness and other eye maladies. This treatment can also improve sleeping difficulties like insomnia. Practicing Trataka is simple and requires three simple pieces of equipment: a candle, a match, and a table. Some people might use a ghee lamp instead of a candle, depending on which item is more accessible. 

Sit in front of the table and place the candle on top. Make sure both items are about an arm’s length away from you. Additionally, ensure the candle wick is about as high as your chest. Light the candle and get into a meditative position, your hands resting on your knees. Start mentally reciting your Mantra as you bring your eyes to a close. 

Open your eyes and stare directly at the flame. Focus on its colors and shapes, not allowing anything else to distract you. Close your eyes again, letting the image of the candle float in your vision for a few seconds. Be mindful not to hold on to the image to prevent creating any tension in your body. Repeat this process three times, gradually increasing the duration from 10 seconds to a minute. 

Acupuncture

Similar to Acupuncture, the Indian practice of Ayurveda focuses on the relationship between the human body and nature, and how this can influence a person’s health and well-being. It’s no surprise that some Ayurvedic practices use Acupuncture to treat ocular ailments such as glaucoma and chronic dry eye syndrome. 

Keep in mind that more studies have yet to be conducted to confirm the benefits of Acupuncture for eye health. If you want to try this procedure, make sure to find a professional who can administer the treatment properly.

Final Thoughts

The eye is a vital human organ; thus, making sure it gets all the nutrients it needs to stay healthy and functional is important. Ayurvedic medicine offers comprehensive treatments and techniques that can help preserve and improve eye health. You may consider the methods we mentioned above to get started.