• Dr Rohini Patil
• Dr Mayuresh Waman

Eye health is fundamentally important for overall human well-being, profoundly affecting social interactions, emotional balance, and intellectual development. Among the sensory organs, the eyes are considered paramount, serving as the primary means to perceive the environment. However, in rural areas, accessibility to specialized ophthalmic care remains limited, placing the onus of primary eye health management on general practitioners (GPs). This article underscores the critical need for equipping GPs with practical diagnostic tools, clinical protocols, and management strategies to address common acute eye conditions effectively. Key challenges in rural eye care include disparities in service availability and lifestyle risk factors such as prolonged screen exposure, tobacco use, unhealthy diets, and environmental stressors, which contribute to rising incidences of dry eye syndrome, conjunctivitis, keratitis, glaucoma, and diabetic retinopathy. Ayurveda offers a holistic preventive framework emphasizing daily and seasonal routines (dinacharya and ritucharya), ethical living (sadvritta), and rejuvenative therapies (chakshushya rasayana) that promote ocular health and delay degenerative diseases. A basic eye examination kit comprising a near vision acuity chart, pinhole occluder, pen torch with a blue filter, saline drops, fluorescein strips, and a red object enables GPs to assess anterior segment conditions confidently. Four “red-flag” symptoms—eye pain, decreased visual acuity, photophobia, and unilateral or bilateral involvement—guide referral decisions. Acute conditions such as conjunctivitis and subconjunctival hemorrhage can often be managed at the primary level, whereas uveitis, glaucoma, and scleritis necessitate urgent specialist intervention. Integrating Ayurvedic insights with modern clinical practice at the primary care level can mitigate preventable vision loss in resource-limited settings. Early detection, proper management, and timely referrals form the cornerstone of effective rural eye healthcare. Conclusion: Empowering general practitioners with comprehensive eye care knowledge and tools is vital to preserving vision and reducing avoidable blindness in underserved populations.

Eye Care , Ophthalmology Chakshushya Rasayan

""Integrative Approaches in Primary Eye Care: Empowering General Practitioners with Ayurvedic Preventive Ophthalmology in Rural India"", International Journal of Emerging Technologies and Innovative Research (www.jetir.org), ISSN:2349-5162, Vol.12, Issue 10, page no.b463-b466, October-2025, Available :http://www.jetir.org/papers/JETIR2510163.pdf

""Integrative Approaches in Primary Eye Care: Empowering General Practitioners with Ayurvedic Preventive Ophthalmology in Rural India"", International Journal of Emerging Technologies and Innovative Research (www.jetir.org | UGC and issn Approved), ISSN:2349-5162, Vol.12, Issue 10, page no. ppb463-b466, October-2025, Available at : http://www.jetir.org/papers/JETIR2510163.pdf