Ayurveda management of Optic neuritis: A single case study

Optic neuritis is an inflammatory condition affecting the optic nerve. It can be idiopathic, where the underlying cause is unidentifiable. Alternatively, it can be hereditary or due to any demyelinating disorders, which are the most common causes of optic neuritis. It is reported to have an incidence of 1–5 cases per 100,000 per year, with higher latitudes found to be having a higher incidence. In recent advancements of contemporary medical science, the Optic Neuritis Treatment Trial has been established, in which intravenous steroids followed by oral steroids are given. In Ayurveda, 76 types of Netra roga (~eye disease) have been described, and a special concept of Shotha (~edema) has been explained by Acharya Sushruta in ancient classics. A 47-year-old female patient diagnosed with optic neuritis-papillitis visited the hospital in March 2023 for Ayurveda treatment. She has been a known case of hypertension for the last 15 years, and hypothyroidism for the past six years, and was diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes mellitus in December 2022. She was given Virechana karma (~therapeutic purgation) followed by Niruha basti (~therapeutic decoction enema) along with Nasya (~medication through nasal route), Anjana (~collyrium) and oral Chakshushya chikitsa (~treatment modalities beneficial for eye and eye sight) for 40 days. She was satisfied with the outcome, with significant resolution of the edema of the left optic disc and improved vision. This single case study, while providing a promising observation of Ayurveda therapeutic potential, is insufficient to establish a definitive treatment protocol. The positive outcomes seen here call for deeper clinical research and larger-scale studies to validate efficacy, determine generalizability, and establish a standardized, evidence-based treatment regimen for Optic neuritis.