Science of Iridology

Iridology is the study of the colored part of the eye (called the iris) to determine potential health problems. Iridologists believe that changing patterns and markings in the iris can be used to reveal emerging conditions in every part of the body and to identify inherited weaknesses that may lead to physical and emotional disorders.

Iridology cannot detect a specific disease. Rather, it is a preventive practice that helps people to understand their basic health issues so that they can seek treatment, if necessary, from the appropriate specialist. According to iridologists, if a health problem is detected at an early stage, something can then be done to prevent it from becoming a full-blown disease.

The idea that the eyes are a mirror to the body is an ancient one: The Greek physician Hippocrates was known to examine patients' eyes for signs of illness. It wasn't until 1670, however, that the first actual medical reference to iridology as a diagnostic tool appeared in German physician Phillipus Meyens' book Chiromatica Medica.

In the late-19th century Hungarian physician Ignatz von Peczely and Swedish clergyman Nils Liljequist independently advanced theories connecting the markings of the iris with tendencies toward specific ailments. Both men's interests stemmed from experiences in their childhoods.

As a boy, Peczely accidentally broke the leg of an owl and then noticed a black mark that subsequently appeared in the bird's iris. Later, in his medical practice, he noted similar marks in the eyes of his human patients who'd suffered a fracture. For his part, Liljequist contracted malaria in his teens and was treated with quinine and iodine. As the drugs accumulated in his system, he noticed that his blue eyes were turning a darker color. After he later became a homeopath, he found similar reactions in his patients as well.

Today, modern iridology is practiced far more widely in Europe than in the United States, with Germany contributing most of the research in the field during the past century.

Iridology first became known in the United States in the 1950's, when Bernard Jensen, an American chiropractor, began giving classes in his own method, which mainly concentrates on iris color, the body's exposure to toxins, and use of natural foods as detoxifiers. Although Jensen's concepts have never been fully accepted by his European counterparts, most American iridologists have been trained using Jensen's techniques.

How Does It Work?

The basis of iridology is a holistic concept well accepted in other fields of alternative medicine, namely that when examined correctly, each part of the body contains information about other parts of the body. In chiropractic medicine, for example, misalignments in the spine are used to diagnose and treat diseases of the internal organs. In Chinese medicine, examinations of the pulse and tongue are regularly included in the diagnostic process. Iridolgists believe that as a degenerative disease slowly develops, the iris will reflect these changes.

Conventional physicians also routinely examine the eye for evidence of internal disease. Using an ophthalmoscope to look at the retina of the eye, a doctor can see how diseases such as diabetes or high blood pressure are affecting blood vessels. Likewise, a close examination of the iris can give information about high cholesterol and certain metabolic ailments.

Iridologists contend that conventional physicians underutilize the iris as a source of information about an body's health status. They note that the iris itself is one of the more complex organs in the nervous system. When a photograph of the iris is enlarged, iridologists claim they can get a view of an ultrafine membrane of connective tissue that may indicate signs of degenerative diseases well before their presence is developed in larger organ systems.

Many iridology texts map segments of the iris to correspond with various internal organs. While this concept is accepted by most American-trained iridologists, it continues to be debated among European practitioners. Although the European iridologists believe that analysis of the eye can indicate a propensity for disease, they point to the lack of evidence for any anatomical correspondence between sections of the iris and specific body parts.

Most American-trained iridologists, continue to maintain that the iris is connected to the brain and acts reflects conditions in various parts of the body. Because thousands of nerve endings make up the iris it is said that the eye can indeed provide a system of connections to the rest of the body.

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