Abstract

AYURVEDIC MANAGEMENT OF VERNAL KERATOCONJUCTIVITIS (KAPHAJA ABISHYANDA) - A CASE STUDY

*Arundhathi Krishnan and Rathi S

ABSTRACT

Vernal keratoconjunctivitis (VKC) is a bilateral, usually seasonally recurrent, allergic inflammation of the conjunctiva, characterised by limbal gelatinous hypertrophy and/or upper tarsal giant conjunctival papillae. However, its aetiology and pathophysiology remain unclear. The clinical course of this disease is usually benign and self-limiting, but a minority of patients will face very debilitating and sight threatening complications. Topical steroids, anti-histamines, mast cell stabilizers are the only treatment modality mentioned in other contemporary science which reduces the inflammation to some extent but the recurrence rate is very high. So it is coherent to adopt Ayurvedic treatment to decrease the magnitude of recurrence rate and also to resolve the ailment. In Ayurveda, its clinical features can be correlated with Kaphaja Abhishyand. In this case study, a 9yr old child with VKC who has shown marked improvement in the symptoms with the Ayurvedic management is presented below.

Keywords: Vernal kerato-conjuctivitis, Kaphaja Abhishyand, photophobia.