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.

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. This

is in part due to the influence of the German minister Pastor  Felke, who developed a form

of homeopathy for treating specific iris indications in the early  1900s. (The Pastor Felke

Institute in Heimshiem, Germany, is currently one the leading  centers of iridologic research

and training, and carries on Felke's work.) In addition, German  naturopath Josef Deck's

books Differentiation of the Iris Signs and Elements of  Irisdiagnosis, first published the

1930s, continue to be the standard textbooks on the subject.

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.

When a photograph of the iris is enlarged, iridologists claim they  can get a view of an

ultrafine membrane of connective tissue that shows signs of  degenerative diseases well

before their presence is manifested in larger organs. Over the  years, many iridology texts

have "mapped" 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.

What You Can Expect? The iridologist will examine the irises  of your eyes using either a

slitlamp (an expensive piece of equipment also employed by  optometrists and

ophthalmologists) or just a penlight and magnifying glass. Many  iridologists will also obtain

photographs of your iris with a specially designed camera, then  considerably enlarge the

photos so that the iris appears about the size of a dinner plate.  (This can be a rather dramatic

sight, allowing you to appreciate the complexity of the iris's  structure. With its numerous

fibers and colors, the iris is as unique as your fingerprints.) The  process is completely

painless, safe, and noninvasive.

While examining your irises, both in-person, and later when  reviewing the photographs,

the iridologist will look for subtle signs of developing illness,  such as symptoms of stress

or a build-up of toxins. Depending on the practitioner's training,  and whether he accepts of

the concept of "mapping," eye charts may be consulted to  determine problems in

corresponding internal organs.

The examination and consultation typically will last about an hour.  Unless your iridologist is

a licensed physician, you will not be diagnosed with any specific  disease. You will, however,

be told about any risk factors and given preventive health-care  measures to follow.

Health Benefits: Because iridology is not a treatment  therapy, but rather a way of detecting

underlying signs of developing disease, iridologists will let you  know about your overall

health

as well as any trends you may be experiencing toward illness. In  this way, their goals are

similar to those of all preventive medicine--to recognize health  problems at their earliest

stages and to suggest ways to keep disease from developing.

Click her to view Iriodolgy Chart

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