Iridology

What is iridology?

Iridology is a method of alternative medicine which claims that based on colors, lines and spots in the iris of the eye we can diagnose the health condition of the patient.

Iridology method is known from Old Greece, and was applied in past and now in traditional Chinese medicine.

In Germany, a method developed Pastor Felke in his book Naturheilkunde in early 1900, and he used iridology as part of the treatment for specific diseases. Although he was disputed, he founded the Institute in Heimshiemu as the leading German center.
Dr. Bernard Jensen, the American kiropractitioner, expanded iridology in the U.S. in 1950. He had installed it in his own way of healing which implied proper nutrition.

By scientificly unestablished belief that arises from the lack of facts and evidence, iris of the eye is divided into 12 hours and seven rounds, which depart from the center (pupil) and go to the outer edges. Rounds consist of seven concentric circles, which are wider than the pupil. Iris of the right eye signals about the health of the right side of the body, and iris of the left eye signals about the left side, while the „even“ organs can be found in one or the other iris. Exception is the heart that normally occurs in both irises. These circles are visible only when there are some anomalies in the organs involved, starting from number one (the circle closest to the pupil) to number seven. These circles refer to the heart, intestines, kidneys, lungs, brain and skin.

Anomalies in some cases look like spots, sometimes as short “sticks” or other irregular shapes. Color changes of the iris in a particular place can also serve as a sign of illness. Another signs, which should not be compared with the circles, are called heart rings that indicate a heart disease alone or associated with other disorders.

Sign for the first call to alarm is one or more red points on the light background, which has a geometric shape (triangle, square, rhombus, etc.) – it is a sign of tumor. Sign usually occurs several months before the illness. Pupil can be extended (psychological disorders) or narrowed (spinal problems, meningitis) or unequal (neurasthenia, paralysis). Pupil, which is vertical – oval, warns of the tendency to apoplexy (sudden termination of a vital organ), and if it is horizontal – oval, it signals on the diseases of the eye, pituitary, thyroid gland. If it is outside the center, it warns us about lung or gastric diseases.
Iridologists, when diagnosing, use special cards that are divided in 100 segments. This method was developed during a decade so that today, instead of magnifiers, we use camera, and the analysis is done with the help of computers.

Advantages

Iridologists, without any proof, claim that this technology is better used for prevention of illness, i.e that it can determine the health status of individual organ and that they are able to determine the balance of the body and define the acute and more precisely chronic diseases. Method is non-invasive.

Disadvantages

Iridology is pseudoscience and is not based on facts, nor there are scientific evidences for its efficiency. It denies some medical facts and has no evidence for its claims. It can be classified into quackery because it is related to human health.

Taken from: www.medikus.hr