How Does Ayurveda Classify Glaucoma?

 I was asking about glaucoma and Ayurveda on a newsgroup recently. I explained that glaucoma is no longer viewed simply as an eye disease defined by increased intraocular pressure. Glaucoma is now viewed as a neuropathy involving both the optic nerve and the brain (the part of the thalamus known as the lateral geniculate nucleus). I wanted to know if the (many thousand year old) Ayurvedic view of glaucoma was up to date with this knowledge.

 
I had heard that glaucoma is usually thought of as either a kapha disease (fluid in the eye slow to drain out) or a pitta disease (eyes in general). Therefore, I proposed to the group that with the new understanding of glaucoma as a neuropathy, maybe we should consider glaucoma to be a vata-pitta disease.  

Todd Caldecott posted a very interesting reply and I am reproducing it here. I think his reply indicates that the Ayurvedic perspective on glaucoma is indeed subtle and sophisticated. I should not have been surprised by this. After all, Ayurveda and its related sciences have inspired leading edge theorists in physics among other things. In the right hands, this ancient body of knowledge seems to consistently produce information that is a few steps ahead of our most recent discoveries (although both are certainly complimentary). Todd says, 

hi david:

glaucoma is best correlated with a condition described as adhimantha, considered a complication of chronic/untreated abhishyandi, and is of 4 basic types: vata, pitta, kapha and rakta. chapter 15 of the uttarasthana of the ashtanga hrdaya gives the different types.

generally speaking, vata regulates retinal nerve function, whereas kapha specifically nourishes the eye and pitta acts to drain it in context with adhimantha. vata symptoms usually relate to end stage conditions (nerve damage), kapha to retinal arterial occlusion and pitta to retinal vein occlusion; in context of the fluid mechanics of the eye itself. 

ancient ayurvedic treatments for adhimantha were for highly progressed conditions, not so much the early diagnoses we see now as such, a more generalized protocol for early diagnosed is very helpful, looking at more general including hyperglycemia, chronic stress and nutrient deficiencies.

my experience is that glaucoma is well-treated by avoiding refined carbohydrates, supplementing with high doses of vit A, B, C, omega three fats, accessory nutrients such as lycopene, lutein and zeaxanthin etc, and then using specific treatments for specific indications of the doshas; specific herbal preparations for the eye include triphala (prepared as an eyewash and/or ghritam) and rasanjana eye drops 

You can visit Todd's website here: www.toddcaldecott.com

Todd's reply makes me very curious to learn more about the full Ayurvedic protocol because I do have advanced glaucoma with nerve damage.