More Than Meets the Eye

The Ayurvedic link between eye health and mind

Recent research is revealing exactly that: your eye health may be a powerful predictor of your brain health.

A large study tracking over 12,000 adults aged 55–73 for 15 years found that people with certain eye conditions had a significantly higher risk of developing dementia:

• Age-related Macular Degeneration (AMD): 26% higher risk
• Cataracts: 11% higher risk
• Diabetic Retinopathy (DRED): 61% higher risk

Only one common eye condition — glaucoma — didn’t seem to increase dementia risk. But for the others, the connection was undeniable. These numbers are more than statistics — they’re a call to rethink how we approach vision care, especially as we age.

Why Eye Health and Brain Health Are Linked

From a medical perspective, the connection is not surprising. The retina is an extension of the central nervous system (CNS). During early development, it grew directly from the same tissue that formed your brain. So when the retina suffers damage, it’s not just vision that’s affected — the changes can mirror or influence processes happening in the brain itself.

Take AMD for example. This neurodegenerative eye disease affects central vision but has also been associated with decreased verbal fluency, memory decline, and overall cognitive performance. Similarly, dry eye disease — often dismissed as a minor irritation — can disrupt vision enough to impair concentration, learning, and memory. Constant discomfort also increases stress, which indirectly strains brain function.

Here’s where the neuroscience gets fascinating:

• The corneal nerve fibers originate from the trigeminal nerve.
• Signals from your cornea travel to the sensory nucleus, then to the salivary nucleus in your brainstem.
• This triggers your parasympathetic nerves to stimulate the lacrimal glands, releasing tears.

When this delicate neuro- regulation breaks down, tears dry up — and the discomfort starts a cascade of strain, inflammation, and even changes in brain regions tied to mood and cognition.

Ayurvedic perspective on eye and brain connection –

Centuries before microscopes, MRIs, or brain scans, Ayurvedic physician-scholars documented the Netra (eye) with remarkable clinical precision. They didn’t speak in poetry; they described its structures and junctions in detail—observations that correspond closely to modern eye anatomy.

So when Ayurveda links the Netra with the Manas (mind) and MajjāDhātu (nervous tissue), it’s speaking from a tradition of close observation and named anatomy — not just metaphor.

They described the eyes as the seat of Alochaka Pitta — the subdosha that governs visual perception. In the Ayurvedic view, maintaining clear, strong vision isn’t just about preventing blindness — it’s about preserving clarity of thought, emotional balance, and even the ability to recall and reason.

This is why Ayurvedic physicians wove eye care into daily and seasonal routines, long before “screen time” was ever a concern. They called these methods Rasa Kriya — a group of local therapies designed to nourish, cleanse, and rejuvenate the eyes.

Daily Eye Care Rituals

• Gentle rinsing of the eyes each morning with clean, cool water.
• Daily eye exercises such as Trataka (steady gazing) to strengthen focus and relieve fatigue.
• Application of Triphala ghee–based Anjana (medicated kohl) to nourish the eyes and maintain tear film.
• Daily Aschyotana [eye drops] depending on the dosha predominance in the eye.
• Cooling foods like cucumber, coriander and amla in your diet to balance excess heat and support ocular health.

Daily or Weekly therapy for the Screen-Heavy Lifestyle

With constant exposure to screens, our eyes experience more dryness, redness, and strain than ever before. Ayurveda recommends integrating daily or weekly therapies based on the intensity of strain.

Prakshalana – Eye wash

• The first-line Ayurvedic treatment for many acute eye conditions, from redness to dryness. It instantly hydrates, cleanses, and cools the eyes.
  At home: You can use sterilized eye cups with diluted rose water to soothe and refresh the eyes.
  In clinical settings: Practitioners often use herbal decoctions — the most common being Triphala water, prepared with meticulous straining through fine muslin cloth to avoid even the smallest particles entering the eye.

Seasonal Ayurvedic Therapies (only by Ayurvedic Doctor)

Netra Tarpana – Ocular Rejuvenation Ritual

This therapy is especially beneficial for dry eyes and for strain caused by prolonged reading, driving, or screen use.

A dough dam is built around each eye and filled with warm medicated ghee. The ghee is retained for several minutes, bathing and deeply nourishing the eyes.

Before netra tarpan, purification of the head by nasya and/or vamana and of the body by virechana is done.

It may involve Pre-tarpana procedures like—Netra Seka (gentle pouring of medicated liquid over the eyes)—may be performed to prepare and cleanse the eyes.

After tarpana, certain follow-up therapies are done

• Putapaka – herbal juice is used to balance the heaviness and tiredness in the eyes.
• Dhumpana – gentle fumigation to clear any excess kapha from the eye region.

Vidalaka – Herbal Cooling Over Closed Lids

To soothe inflammation, reduce swelling, and calm tired eyes after strain. A soothing herbal paste is applied over closed eyelids (never on the lashes) to calm inflammation, reduce puffiness, and ease tired eyes.

Anjana – Medicated Collyrium

Anjana helps maintain healthy tear flow, clears debris, and guards against infection. Diffferent Anjana are available for different dosha aggravated problems-

Clearing Anjana for too much Kapha – too much buildup which could lead to cataract.

Cooling Anjana for too much Pitta – inflammation, redness.

Lubricating Anjana for too much Vata- dryness, floaters, to maintain healthy tear flow.

A fine application of herbal or mineral paste along the inner eyelid margin.

Bridging Ancient and Modern

Healthy eyes mean a healthier brain. Protecting the eyes from oxidative damage, dryness, and inflammation may help preserve not only vision but also memory and mental sharpness.

Ayurvedic ocular therapies likely work through multiple mechanisms:

• Improving microcirculation around ocular tissues.
• Enhancing tear film stability, reducing irritation that can distract the brain.
• Calming the nervous system via trigeminal–parasympathetic pathways.
• Delivering antioxidants and anti-inflammatory compounds directly to ocular tissues.

Simmi Chopra is a highly accomplished Ayurvedic Practitioner with a unique blend of expertise in traditional Ayurveda and modern science. Trained in the ancient healing system, she completed the prestigious Ayurveda Doctor program from Kerala Ayurveda. Based in New York City, Simmi practices at SIDH Ayur, where she offers personalized Ayurvedic therapies, dietary guidance, lifestyle recommendations, and herbal solutions to help clients achieve holistic balance. – https://youtu.be/gdC5QHXFUq8

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