Iridology

Did one of your relatives have high blood pressure? How about alcoholism, mental illness or high cholesterol? Perhaps the very colour of your eyes could reveal if you are apt to go down that same road.

Iridologists find that the markings and changing lines in a person's iris can be traced to show an oncoming sickness or an inherited predisposition. It is a preventative practice with the belief that if the Iridologist can detect a problem in the eyes, then the person can seek the appropriate treatment from a specialist, thereby saving time, money, and a misdiagnosis. It has been said that the eyes are the mirror to the soul, and even the great Hippocrates examined his patient's eyes for signs of disease, in fact even today during a routine check up the doctors is likely to shine a light in your eyes and look for signs of distress. Both diabetes and high blood pressure affect the blood vessels in the eyes, and, using an ophthalmoscope, your physician can track these changes.

A Brief History of Iridology

In 1670, iridology was documented as a diagnostic tool by Phillipus Meyen, but it wasn't until the late 19th century that a doctor by the name of Ignatz von Peczely connected the lines of the iris to specific ailments. As a child, Ignatz caught an owl but accidentally broke one of its wings. He saw that a dark stripe appeared in the lower part of the owl's eye. After nursing the owl back to health and letting it go, the boy who would become Dr. von Peczely later saw that the dark stripe had turned into white and crooked lines when the bird insisted on staying in his backyard. As a physician he noted that humans who had fractured limbs had similar black to white lines as their fractures healed.

About the same time in Switzerland, the boy who would become Pastor Nils Liliequist became sick from a vaccination he had recently received. After being prescribed Quinine and iodine as a cure for the ailments caused by the vaccinations, he noticed that his eyes had changed colour from blue to green.

Iridology is a homeopathic practice which is found more often in Europe, rather than the United States, it wasn't until the 1950's that iridology was used in the United States. A chiropractor named Bernard Jensen began teaching classes regarding the body's exposure to toxins as being prominent in the iris of the eye. American iridologists still use Dr Jensen's methods; however his European colleges never quite accepted his findings or treatments. "Differentiation of the Iris Signs" and "Elements of iris diagnosis" written by German naturopath Josef Deck are considered to be the basic text books of iridology used by practitioners today.

Holistic Principles of Iridology

The holistic concept of alternative medicine is that each part of the body, if examined correctly, will tell you what you need to know about the other parts of the body. For instance, in Chinese medicine, a lot of time is spent on examining the pulse and nerves, and in Chiropractic, a misaligned spine is a diagnostic part of treating diseases.

Iridologists see where changes in the iris indicate the onset of disease when certain markings and colour changes appear within the eye. Iridologists contend that signs of degenerative diseases are present in the iris well before reaching other organs, and therefore treatable at the earliest stage possible. They do this by enlarging a photograph of the eye and charting changes in the minuscule thin membranes. Some iridologists can even figure the exact area of the body that is sick by the position of the lines in the iris, but others don't believe the science is that exact.

However, American iridologists in particular, believe that as the eyes are connected to the brain, that it would make sense that they are a kind of a switchboard, (thousands of nerve endings make up the iris) which along with providing sight, has the ability as well as the responsibility of catching diseases at the very beginning.

Visiting an Iridologist

During your first visit to the iridologist, they will ask you a series of questions, a medical history if you will, and examine your eyes not unlike a more traditional doctor, using a penlight and magnifying glass. They will then use a completely painless and non-invasive procedure to take pictures of your eyes and, concentrating on the iris, will blow up the pictures to a magnification so intense that your eye will appear to be the size of a stop sign.

Your iris print is as unique as your fingerprints, and it is an awesome sight to see the intercity of the nerves and the structure of your eye. As they examine your eyes, they are looking for symptoms of stress or a build up of toxins, which are early signs of a developing illness. The entire process takes about an hour and they will refer you to a licensed physician (unless they are one themselves) for further treatment, with a report of what they have found.

The iridologist will provide some suggestions for your physician as to what to look for as to your health needs. They will also provide you with a preventative consultation as to any risk factors that they have found. If the iridologist is a chiropractor, naturopath, or homeopath practitioner, then he is licensed to treat you himself.

Benefits of an Iridology Consultation

One of the benefits is to think of your visit as a well care check up. They can tell you about your overall health and find the signs of possibly developing problems. It is a preventive medicine which can save you thousands down the road if you know what you need to do to keep yourself healthy. One of the drawbacks is that American iridologists are inadequately trained, according to European iridologists, and one would be inclined to agree, as most American iridologists have taken courses only lasting a weekend, resulting in a certification. It is recommended, therefore, that should you choose to seek out an iridologist, you should try and choose one that has been trained in Europe.

Beware of marketing companies that offer trainings to their distributors. If your iridologist finds several problems and insists that you treat them using only their products, get a second opinion.