Herbal Remedies for Pinguecula Management in Ayurveda

A pinguecula is a benign, non cancerous growth which develops in the eye. The pinguecula is called as pingueculae when it is more than one in number. Basically, the growth is seen on the conjunctiva of the eye which is a thin layer of tissue and is responsible for covering as well as protecting the white part of the eye. People can have pinguecula at any age but generally the condition is observed in middle aged and elderly people. In this article we are going to discuss pinguecula in detail with respect to both modern and Ayurvedic views.

INTRODUCTION

A pinguecula is yellowish in color and particularly has a triangular shape. It is basically a small raised patch that grows close to the cornea. Cornea is a transparent layer which lies over the pupil and iris. It is more common on the side of the nose but can also grow next to your cornea on the other side. In Ayurveda pinguecula is known as balasa graditha and it is described under diseases of shukla mandal. Ayurveda also specifies causes of all diseases related to eyes under one verse. Moreover, the pinguecula does not cause any kind of pain or other symptoms rather than irritation.

CAUSES OF PINGUECULA

• Modern suggests that a yellow bump pinguecula is formed when the tissue in the conjunctiva changes and creates a small appearance like a bump. These bumps generally have fat, calcium or both.
• External factors like accumulation of dust particles, pollen allergy etc. are partially understood as the reasons for its onset.

On the Other hand Ayurveda suggests that the causes for pinguecula is the same as the rest of the eye diseases. They are as follows:

• Ushnabhitapthasya jala praveshath (Exposure to or drinking cool water immediately after exposure to heat)
• Doorekshanth (Looking at the very distant objects regularly for a long time)
• Swapna viparya yaashcha (Abnormal sleeping habits like sleeping in day time, sleeping late at night)
• Prasaktha samaradhana (continues weeping)
• Kopa (Excessive anger aggravates pitta dosha)
• Shoka (excessive grief results in vata vitiation and hence causes diseases having predominance of vata dosha)
• Klesha (stress, suffering or pain)
• Abhighatha (Minute irritative injuries or contusion injuries or perforation injuries)
• Ati maithuna (indulging in more sexual intercourse causing dhatu kshaya)
• Shukta arnala, amla, kulutta, masha (excessive intake causes netra vikaras)
• Kuluttha (due to astringent taste and bitter after effects it causes rakta pitta disorders of the eye)
• Masha (Due to its heavy and unctuous inherent properties, it long term intake causes kapha dosha netra vikara)
• Ati Sweda (Excessive fomentation for sedation to the eye)
• Dhooma nisevanath (Exposure to smoke or smoking tobacco causes eye disorders)
• Chardhir vightath (Suppressing the vomiting urge leads to udavarta vayadhi hence causing eye strain and finally resulting in eye disorders)
• Vamanathi yogath (Indulging in excessive vamana therapy)
• Sukshma nireekshna nath (Observing minute things regularly)
• Bhashpa grahath (Suppressing of tears)

SYMPTOMS OF PINGUECULA

• A yellow bump pinguecula can make your eye feel dry or irritated.
• Sometimes it gives a feeling of something present in the eye such as sand or any other rough particle
• Occasionally the affected eye becomes red, itchy and inflamed.

According to Ayurvedic texts the pinguecula, also known as balasa gradhitha , grows in white part of the eye that is sclera. It appears like a water drop and has a colour similar to copper. This drop is generally painless and is hard in nature.

DIAGNOSIS

• Diagnosis is generally confirmed by slit lamp biomicroscopy.
• After examination of the eye a classical growth is observed which is raised and yellow white in colour.
• In addition its location is more common nasally than temporally.

TREATMENT

Generally, no treatment is done until you have any kind of symptoms. In case your eye hurts, your physician might prescribe you with ointment or eye drops to relieve redness and irritation.
Surgery is considered or suggested when:

• It grows over your cornea and it can affect your vision too
• Causes extreme discomfort when you try to wear contact lenses
• If Pinguecula is severely inflamed even after application of eye drops or ointments.

In Ayurveda the treatment of balasa graditha is described in following ways:

• First of all it is a sadhya vayadhi which means it can be cured using sharir shodhak karma like panchakarma which includes vamana, virechana etc. And shiro shodhan likes nasya.
• Application of kshara anjana is also mentioned. Kshara anjan is prepared using two ways. One is by giving bhavana of milk to apakwa yava for 7 days. After it dries, kshara is prepared and then saindhav lavan is added along with tuttha and gorochana, and pakwam is used as anjan.
• Another way includes the use of  phaninjakadi kshara anjan.

The treatment is basically given keeping in mind the predominant dosha. In this case the predominant dosha is kapha. Vitiation of kapha causes balasa graditha or yellow bumps on pinguecula.

HERBAL REMEDIES FOR PINGUECULA BY PLANET AYURVEDA

Planet Ayurveda is a leading Ayurvedic firm which deals with the manufacturing of herbal formulations. These formulations are prepared using potent herbs which are really effective in managing many conditions related to eyes. The formulations prepared by Planet Ayurveda do not contain any kind of adulterants, dyes, additives, fillers etc. These medications are really potent to manage various conditions related to eyes especially and are very fruitful hence giving positive noticeable results. The medication or formulations offered by Planet Ayurveda for the management of Yellow bumps pinguecula is as follows:

1. Bilberry Capsules
2. Kaishore Guggul
3. Navkarshik Churna
4. Angel Eye Vitale

Herbal Remedies for Pinguecula

PRODUCTS DESCRIPTION

1. Bilberry Capsules

Bilberry which is also called Vaccinium myrtillus.. This is a single herb formulation and is one of the best medications which is used in the treatment of eye disorders. These capsules are made from pure extract of bilberry.  It has antioxidant properties and is successfully used in treatment of disorders related to retina, cataracts, nearsightedness and glaucoma. Bilberry is also used to enhance night vision.

Dosage - One capsule twice a day after a meal with plain water.

2. Kaishore Guggul

Kaishore guggul has many ingredients like amalaki (Emblica officinalis), haritaki (Terminalia chebula), Guduchi (Tinospora cordifolia), Ginger (Zingiber officinale), black pepper (Piper nigrum) and many others. It is a classical preparation which is being used to remove toxins from the body and also supports healthy blood circulation. The formulation tends to show a rejuvenating effect on the body. This formulation is very popular for its fantastic effects.

Dosage - Two tablets twice a day after meals with lukewarm water.

3. Navkarshik Churna

It is a classical preparation which has amalaki (Emblica officinalis), haritaki (Terminalia chebula), Vacha (Acorus calamus), Neem (Azadirachta indica), Manjistha (Rubia cordifolia) and many others. The preparation is very useful in enhancing the immunity of one's body and also helps in reducing any kind of associated inflammation. The navkarshik churna also has antibacterial and antimicrobial effects.

Dosage - Half tsp twice a day after meals with lukewarm water.

4. Angel Eye Vitale

Angel eye vitale capsules have ingredients like pure extract of vitamin C, vitamin E, zinc, marigold, corn, carrot seed and bilberry. The formulation is very effective in various eye-related disorders and also helps in enhancement of eye sight. In case of any irritation due to pinguecula, the formulation can be given and is very effective in managing such conditions.

Dosage - One capsule twice a day after meals with lukewarm water.

CONCLUSION

In Ayurveda the treatment of each and every disorder is possible, all you need is knowledge and belief. A proper understanding of condition and body according to Ayurveda can help you in understanding the situation really well and then choosing Ayurvedic herbs wisely helps in treating disorders really well. Above mentioned products by Planet Ayurveda are totally herbal and organic. In addition they do not cause any kind of side effects.