CHAPTER XIX.
Now we shall discourse on the medical treatment to be adopted -in cases of hurt or injury to the eye (Nayanábhigháta-Pratishedha). 1
A violent and intolerable pain in the eye accompanied by redness and swelling therein, resulting from a blow or from any sort of hurt or injury to the organ, should be remedied with the application of medicinal Nasya (errhines), plasters, sprinkling and Tarpana (soothing measures), and other measures mentioned before, as well as the measures prescribed in cases of Pittaja and Raktaja Abhishyanda — lit. remedial to the pain (Śula) caused by the deranged blood and Pitta in the locality. The affected eye (Drishti) should also be soothed with the help of cool, sweet and fatty drugs. This kind of treatment should also be followed in cases where the eye would be hurt or oppressed by (excessive) fomentation, smoke or glare-fire, or affected on account of fear, mental agony, pain or injury. These measures should also be resorted to in the first stage (i.e., during the first week) of the hurt or injury in the eye. After this period the affected eye should be treated as a case of an Abhishyanda with due regard to the nature of the specific deranged bodily Dosha or Doshas involved in the case. A slight hurt in the eye may be instantaneously relieved by the application of warm breath-fomentation. 2-4.
Prognosis: — Any ulceration restricted to one Patala (coat) only of the eye may be easily cured; an ulcer invading two Patalas of the organ may be healed only with the greatest difficulty, while the one affecting three Patalas should be regarded as incurable.
