An ayurvedic approach to a case of ulcerative keratitis (Savrana Shukra)

Ulcerative keratitis (UK) is one of the most prevalent ocular diseases characterized by partial or total loss of vision. While contact lens wear is the primary risk factor of the UK in the young, compromised ocular immunity is responsible for it in the old age group. Early diagnosis and treatment help to bring about better results. Antimicrobial therapy remains the mainstay of treatment in ulcerative keratitis, whereas adjunctive topical corticosteroid therapy remains a matter of debate. The UK signs and symptoms match that of Savrana Shukra mentioned in the Ayurvedic texts. We present the case of a 72-year-old male admitted for redness and blurred vision in the right eye, associated with ocular pain, tearing, and photophobia. We diagnosed the case as Savrana Shukra. He underwent Ayurvedic therapy in the form of internal medicines such as Amritotaram Kashaya, Manjistadi kashaya, Kaisora Guggulu and Pratimarsha Nasya with Anu tailam. He also underwent treatments such as Jalokavacharana, Netra Seka, Vidalaka and Anjana karma. After a month of treatment, the corneal ulcer healed completely and thinned down the scar on the cornea. His visual acuity improved from 6/60B to 6/6 in the affected eye. Ayurvedic treatment was effective in completely healing the corneal ulcer and controlling the active inflammation, thereby improving vision. However, more extensive studies with larger samples will yield more data to prove the potential of Ayurveda in such cases.