Iridology is an alternative medical diagnostic procedure. Iridologists diagnose predispositions and diseases based on iris analysis, referring to tissue changes in the eyes. The procedure is neither empirically confirmed nor excluded.
What is iridology?
Iridologists diagnose predispositions and diseases based on an iris analysis, referring to tissue changes of the eyes. The eyes are the window to the soul. Oriented to this motto, pseudo-scientists have created iridology. The procedure is also known as eye diagnostics or iris diagnostics. Thus numerous illnesses are to be read off particularly at the iris of the eye. Accordingly, iridology assumes that systemic diseases can be diagnosed by analyzing tissue structures of the eye. Each tissue is assigned to a specific body zone. This type of diagnosis was already used by the ancient Egyptians. A publication dates back to the 15th century and is still the basis of iris diagnostics today. In the 17th century, iridology was also described by Philippus Meynes. In the 19th century, the physician Ignaz von Peczely referred to it to study the procedure for modern times. Up to now, eye diagnosis could not be empirically proven. Also the theoretically justifying connection of iris diagnostics remains in the dark. Even users of iridology do not consider it a suitable sole diagnostic tool, but usually combine the procedure with other diagnostic tools. Nevertheless, its users assume that the procedure can reveal, in particular, basic genetic predispositions and predetermined weaknesses of an organism.
Function, effect, and goals
In addition to alternative practitioners and naturopaths, homeopaths in particular use iridology. With the help of iris analysis, they search for relevant symptoms and causes of disease. In Germany, Emanuel Felke is considered one of the first practitioners. Standardized principles for iris diagnostics do not yet exist. Thus, the procedure is not considered a standard of the alternative medical spectrum. Iris diagnostics focuses on pathophysiological processes in the organism. This distinguishes the procedure from others in alternative and conventional medicine, which usually focus on organ pathological conditions. Iridology is related to the classical theory of constitution as it was widespread in ancient times. Thus, the basis of the procedure is humoral pathology. The basic assumption is the change of the iris in the context of material, inflammatory and psychological environmental influences. A change due to influencing factors such as food, lifestyle and diseases or therapies is also assumed. This change should correspond to a storage or local compression of color pigments and fibers. An iris diagnostician first assesses the basic color of the eye. Differences in the brightness of the iris tissue, structural differences or different patterns of individual fibers also have diagnostic value in iridology. In addition to loosening, compression, tension, thickness, and direction of the iris tissue, for example, deposits and overlays of any kind can play a role in the diagnosis. The same applies to pigment spots, pigmented areas, changes in color or sclera and restructuring of blood vessels within the conjunctiva. In addition to the amount of vessels, their filling and tortuosity can also provide the iris diagnostician with information about certain bodily processes. In addition to circular topography, sectoral topography is also used. The statements of both topographies are combined to make a diagnosis. Ophthalmic diagnostics requires a binocular microscope with a magnification of ten to 40 times. In many cases, diagnostic devices carry a camera. Iris diagnosticians determine basic information using a magnifying glass.
Risks, side effects and dangers
There are no known risks, side effects or dangers associated with iris diagnostics. However, it can be quite dangerous for a patient to rely solely on the diagnostic procedure and not involve conventional medicine further in the diagnostic process. In cases where conventional medicine does not make any progress or cannot find any pathological processes despite symptoms, there is nothing to be said against iris diagnostics.The same applies in principle even if no symptoms are present and the patient makes use of iridology exclusively out of self-interest, for example to determine predispositions or dispositions. Although there are no empirical facts on iris diagnostics to date, a connection between iris changes and pathological bodily processes or an unhealthy lifestyle has by no means been ruled out. Thus, iridology has so far neither been confirmed nor refuted as a reliable diagnostic procedure. However, those who decide in favor of such a diagnostic procedure should keep a critical eye and not treat the eye diagnosis in the same way as the factual diagnosis of a conventional physician. The choice of the diagnostician also plays a decisive role. As in almost all alternative medical procedures, there are numerous charlatans in the field of iris diagnostics who charge enormous amounts of money for the diagnosis, although they are not even skilled in iridology. If a recognized homeopath with a degree does iris diagnostics, for example, it can be assumed that it is a relatively professional procedure. Iris diagnostics can be used by patients as a basis for orthodox medical examinations, if necessary. For example, a predisposition to a certain disease determined by iridology can be a reason to be checked for this disease in orthodox medical examinations. Patients with symptoms that could not be further classified by conventional medicine can, if necessary, point out to their conventional doctors the connections discovered in iridology and thus give conventional medicine a starting point for further diagnostics. When conventional medicine is unable to identify a disease despite symptoms, patients often feel helpless and powerless. In this context, going to an eye diagnostician can improve the patient’s psychological situation.
