title: Clinical study to assess the efficacy of Keshanjana and Netra Parisheka in the management of Shushkakshipaka (dry eye syndrome).
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Dry eye syndrome (DES) is a common ophthalmic problem predominantly affecting middle-aged and elderly people. It is a disease of deficient or deranged tears and ocular surface disorder producing symptoms of discomfort, visual disturbance, and tears film instability. Shushkakshipaka, an etymologically and clinically similar entity to DES, is defined in Ayurveda as the disease affecting all parts of the eye characterized by Paka (inflammation) due to Shuskatva (dryness) caused by altered coherence of Ashru (tears) with ocular surface or due to lack of Ashru.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To compare the effect of Keshanjana and Netra Parisheka in Shushkakshipaka with artificial tear drops (carboxy methyl cellulose [CMC]).
  
  
  METHODS
  To search a safe, potent and cost-effective Ayurvedic treatment for DES, a randomized comparative clinical trial was conducted on 32 patients. Patients were divided in two groups 15 in group I and 17 in group II. Group I treated with artificial tear drop four times a day for topical use and group II treated with combination therapy of Keshanjana applied topically once a day and Netra Prisheka was done thrice a day.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The effect of Ayurvedic management was found to be equivalent to the standard therapy, although the trial drugs provided more relief in foreign body sensation, burning sensation, dryness, pain, photophobia, itching, crusting, stuck eyelids, tear meniscus, conjunctival congestion, Schirmer I test, and tear film break-up time (TUBT). The standard therapy provided more relief than trial drugs in mucous discharges, transiently blurred vision, redness, and the presence of mucin debris in tear film.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Keshanjana and Netra Parisheka can be used as a potent, safe and cost-effective treatment to ameliorate the symptoms of DES.
authors.affiliation: PG Department of Shalakya Tantra, National Institute of Ayurveda, Jaipur, Rajasthan, India.
authors.forename: Prabhakar
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Vardhan
authors.affiliation: Central Council for Research in Ayurvedic Science, New Delhi, India.
authors.forename: Kartar Singh
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Dhiman
keywords: Carboxy methyl cellulose; Keshanjana; Netra Parisheka; Shushkakshipaka; dry eye syndrome