While India continues to be a leading hub in the information technology market, the country is also making a mark in the medical scenario. Therapeutic techniques are gaining ground in eye treatment. “Diabetic retinopathy is a major concern for the Indian population, with projections that out of 60 million diabetics, 25 million will be afflicted with diabetic retinopathy by the year 2020. World Health Organisation (WHO) have jointly launched a programme called as “Right to Sight” in collaboration with the National Society for Prevention of Blindness” (Nautiyal, 2001).
India is currently spearheading its campaign to promote photodynamic therapy to treat Age Related Macular Degeneration (AMD) as more and more of its citizens suffer an age-related deterioration in vision. Complications of this disease have been checked with the use of the Preferential Hyperacuity Perimetery (PHP) machine. Advanced microscopes are developed to be utilized for vitreous and cataract surgeries.
With the rising cases of retina diseases such as diabetic macular oedema, AMD, epiretinal membranes and retinal inflammatory diseases, a high resolution, non-invasive imaging technique called the Optical Coherence Tomography has been launched. In addition, the Fundus Flourescein Angiography (FFA) has been used to keep a close look at the progression of the disease or efficacy of laser therapy. One of the oldest therapeutic methods which continue to thrive in modern day India is Naturopathy. It is an alternative type of medicine.
Because a lot of Indians have been disillusioned by conventional medicine, many choose to revive the 40-year old discipline out of obscurity. Even medical doctors are being swayed by the appeal of the healing power of nature. Practitioners of this kind of therapy are setting their sights on training the mind and body to boost the immune system. Instead of medicines, natural materials are used. It is widely believed that the body has curative powers to heal itself from the stressful elements of the environment. Toxic materials build up on the body because of the intake of unhealthy food. Physicians study an individual’s personality.
A person’s approach to life will have a profound if not a lasting effect on his health. Doctors vary in their methods of treating the individual. While some will resort to natural things like herbal medicines to address the sickly status of a person, others will discourage the use of any drug and will rather rely on the body’s natural elements to cure. Naturopathic experts believe that prevention is the key to a healthy lifestyle. Aside from eating natural and unprocessed foods, meditation and relaxations techniques are also encourage. Meditative lessons are taught for cleansing the spiritual self.
In today’s turbulent times, relaxation is becoming an essential piece of healthy living. “In the year 1829, Vincenz Priessnitz cured himself by nature’s methods after being given up by the medical profession, founded a sanatorium on his father’s homestead in Germany. His pharmacopoeia consisted neither in pills of doctor, nor any suppressive methods of treatment but in pre unadulterated food, bathing in the sparkling brooks, fresh air and exercise, massage fasting and the like. Since then nature cure has spread rapidly” (http://www. indiasite. com/healingsystems/naturopathy. html).