- Name: Mrs. K M
- Age: 58 years
- Sex: Female
- Date of visit: 3-6-1994
Chief complaints:
This patient had a Rt. Cataract surgery on 8-4-1994 and developed a blurring of vision after that. She was diagnosed as suffering from Vitreitis of the Rt. Eye and treated with local steroid and atropine drops. She was also given a retro bulbar injection of steroids.
Since she was not responding well to this treatment, she was referred for homoeopathic treatment.
Life Situation and Mind:
She has been irritable recently. She has a weeping tendency. She likes company.
Patient as a Person:
- Appetite: Reduced since 1 month
- Desires: Spicy3
- Aversion: nothing particular
- Thirst: Increased. Drinks extremely cold water
- Tongue: clean
- Sweat: in summer. Stains yellow. Odour +
- Stools: 2 /day
- Chilly patient
Gyn. & Obst. History:
Menopausal since 11 years
Past History:
Nothing particular
Family History:
nothing particular
Examination findings:
Rt. Eye- vision: finger counting; vitreous haze ++
Treatment:
Arnica 200 tds x 14 days
Follow up:
17-06-1994: Vision still blurred. Treatment- Phos 200 tds x 14 days followed by SL tds x 7 days.
14-07-1994: Vision improved from FC to 6/12 with glasses. Pain Rt. Eye.
Photophobia. S/B Dr. Maniar: Congestion ++. Rt. Sup. Temporal
branch arterial occlusion. Treatment- Bell 200 tds x 14 days.
03-08-1994: Vision OK. Objects appear larger. Occasional chest pain that lasts for a few minutes. S/B Dr. Maniar: Fundus- Vitreitis +, Rt.
Eye- 6/24, IP- normal. Treatment- Phos 200 tds x 14 days.
05-09-1994: (S/B Dr. Maniar on 1-9-1994: Vision- 6/12; Fundus- clear; IOP- normal.) Retrosternal burning, 1-2 hours after eating. Pain in the eye since 2 days. Treatment- SL tds x 14 days.
26-10-1994: (S/B Dr. Maniar on 18-10-1994: Rt. Eye- no ciliary flush; Vision- 6/12; Fundus- clear; IOP- normal.) Presently complains of pain in the eye. Retrosternal burning < after eating.
Treatment- Phos 1M (I) dose and SL tds x 14 days.
Treatment- Phos 1M tds x 2 weeks and SL tds x 2 weeks.
Comments about the above cases:
Arnica is the drug that I frequently use to begin the treatment of uveitis caused by trauma. In most of the cases, the trauma is surgery on the eye for cataract. In spite of the fact that surgical trauma is more of an incision (clean cut wounds) and is not due to blunt injuries, Arnica is very useful.
In Allen’s Keynotes, the first line of the ‘eye remedy’, Euphrasia reads “Bad effects from falls, contusions or mechanical injuries of external parts [Arn.]” However, when I gave Euphrasia to many of the patients who had earlier come with the history of cataract surgery or other trauma to the eye, it did not bring about any positive change. Hence, Arnica was next given to the patients- with wonderful results. I have found that in uncomplicated cases (patients with no other constitutional symptoms), Arnica is the sole remedy to treat the inflammation and restore the vision.
There is not much scope for the use of rare remedies in the treatment of uveitis, mainly because it is a result of some immune mechanism and needs internal constitutional treatment.
Many of the patients with vision of only Finger Counting (FC) before treatment have had their sight restored after giving the indicated homoeopathic medicine and the acuity of vision in such cases has improved to 6/12 and even 6/9.
Most of the other patients have had their vision restored to 6/9 or 6/6 from a poor visual acuity of 6/60 or 6/36 after homoeopathic treatment.
Patients who have a history of recurrent attacks of uveitis are followed up on a long-term basis in spite of the fact that the acute exacerbation is rapidly controlled by the homoeopathic medicines. Such patients have not had a recurrence even 2 years after stopping treatment.
I have found that the average time taken for the inflammation in the eye to subside completely is about 5-6 weeks. The ophthalmic surgeon documents this improvement. All the inflammatory signs and exudates usually disappear within this period.
Patients with simple inflammation of the uveal tract, the so-called rheumatic iritis, usually had a clear vision within 2 weeks of beginning treatment.