Chapter V - Pathology of the diseases of the black part of the eye

Now we shall discourse on the chapter which deals with the pathology of the diseases of the black part of the eye—Choroid including the Iris (Krishna-gata-Roga-Vijnaniya). 1.

The diseases which are found to invade the region of the Choroid including the Iris (Krishna-mandala) have been briefly said to be four in number. Their names are Savrana-Shukra, Avrana-Shukra, Pakatyaya and Ajaka. 2.

Symptoms:—

A puncture-like dip in the region of the (Krishna-mandala) with a sensation there as if the part has been pricked with a needle and attended with an excruciating pain and a hot exudation is called Savrana-Shukra. If the seat of this disease considerably remote from the pupil—entire part of the Drishti (Retina) be marked by the absence of pain and discharge and be not deep-seated and if there be not double spots, it offers very little chance of remedy. 3-4.

Symptoms and Prognosis of Avrana-Shukra:—

A whitish film appearing on the region of the Choroid including the Iris (Krishna) like a speck of transparent cloud in the sky, and attended with lachrymation and slight pain due to the eye-disease known as Abhishyanda (Ophthalmia—lit. secretion) is called the Avrana-Shukra. This is easily curable. A case of Avrana-Shukra (non-ulcerated film) which is thickened, deep-seated and long-standing, may be cured only with the greatest difficulty, while an long-standing case of this disease, if it is mobile, covered with shreds of flesh, vein-ridden, stretching down to the second layer of skin (in the eye) and obstructing the vision, severed in the middle and marked with a reddish tint in the extremities, should be deemed as incurable. Several authorities aver that the appearance of Mudga- like specks or films on the region of the Iris, attended with growths of pustules and hot lachrymations, should be like-wise regarded as incurable. The fact of its (speck) assuming the colour of the feather of a Tittira bird is an additional indication of the incurable nature of this disease. 5.

The appearance of a whitish milky film over the black part of the eye slowly shrouding it entirly with its mass and attended with acute pain is known as the Akshi-Pakatyaya. This is invariably found to result from an attack of Akshi-kopa^[1] and is due to the concerted action of all the Doshas. A painful reddish growth, like the head of a goat, found to shoot forth from beneath the surface of the black part and attended with reddish slimy secretion is called an Ajaka. 6-7.

 

Thus ends the fifth chapter of the Uttara-Tantra in the Sushruta Samhita which treats of the pathology of the diseases of the black part of the eye.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

According to Mādhava’s reading in his Nidāna, this disease need not necessarily result from an attack of Akshi-kopa, and there need not be an acute pain, and it would be incurable.