IRIDOLOGY – FACT OR FICTION?

Iridology is an alternative health technique used to analyse an individual’s state of physical health through studying signs and changes in the iris (the coloured part) of the eye, which correspond to specific parts of the body. Although it is called a diagnostic technique, iridologists do not diagnose disease or pathology, but rather analyse or assess the general medical condition and history of the patient, as well as the predisposition to disease patterns.

Critics of iridology claim that it is a field not supported by clinical data. They add that the iris is stable, and does not undergo changes that would reflect changes in general health. A further criticism is that while it may provide a framework of the patient’s state of health, more in-depth tests and assessments often need to be conducted by conventional medical practitioners, making it cumbersome and time-consuming.

If the eyes are the window of the soul, are they also the window of physical health?