Ayurveda Treatment Protocol in the Management of Bahala Vartma w.s.r. to Meibomitis: A Case Study

Abstract

Bahala vartma is an inflammatory condition of the eye lids which can be correlated with Meibomitis which is a health challenge due to lacking of a universally accepted treatment protocol. The present study was focused to observe the effectiveness of an Ayurveda treatment protocol in the management of Bahala vartma with special reference to Meibomitis. A 68 years old married female patient presented to the Shalakya clinic of the National Ayurveda Teaching Hospital, Borella, Sri Lanka with severe pain, redness, lacrimation and swelling of the right upper eyelid for two days. Based on the clinical manifestations the patient was diagnosed as Bahala vartma, and was treated with Sudarshana churna, Kaishora guggulu, Triphala netra bindu (eye drop), and selected Akshi prakshalana (eye irrigation with herbal decoction) for a period of two weeks. Evaluated the effectiveness based on clinical features before and after treatment and a special scoring system was adopted for the assessing.  Pain, redness and lacrimation were significantly reduced within 4 days of commencing the treatment, while slight swelling of the upper eyelid existed. The patient was asymptomatic after two weeks and adverse reactions were not observed. The drugs possessed with the qualities of Pitta shamaka (mitigation of Pitta), Raktha shodaka (purifying blood), Shothahara (anti-inflammatory) and Chakshushya (vision promoting) which exerts the effectiveness of the medicaments. Thus the prescribed Ayurveda treatment modality is safe and effective in the management of Bahala vartma.