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.
