IRIDOLOGY-definition and history

Iridology is defined as the science and study of the color and structure of the iris to determine tissue weakness and the body’s predisposition to weakness. The science of Iridology is NOT used for diagnosis. It is a tool used as a means of assessment for conditions and levels of health. The beginnings of Iridology have been cited from many areas of the world and date back to the time of the early Chaldeans (1000 B.C.) The first documented reference to iris analysis can be credited to the physician Philippus Meyens, who wrote a book called “Chiromatica Medica”, published in 1670, which described the reflexive features of the iris. In 1786, Christaen Haertels published his “De Oculo et Signo” translated meaning ‘the eye and its signs” and with this the significance of eye signs was gaining credence. The eye has been examined for diagnostic purposes for centuries. There are a number of references to the significance of bloodshot eyes in the Hippocratic writings, for instance, and the general color and brightness of the eyes have always been taken into account in orthodox examinations of sick patients. The theory that the iris can give more precise information about disease was first independently propounded about a century ago by a Hungarian, Ignatz von Peczely, and a Swede, Nils Liljequist. In 1881 von Peczely published a book on the Iris of the eye called “Discovery in the Realm of Nature and the Art of Healing”. Liljequist, also a discoverer of the rolle of the iris and its marking, published a two-volume work which was translated into Engilsh and called “Diagnosis from the Eye”. Other Iridologists such as Dr. J. Kritzer is known for his work, “Iris Diagnosis and Guide in Treatment”, and Peter Theil, of Germany, was recognized as the greatest Iridologist of his day. Dr. Henry Lahn, one of Lilequist’s students, brought the practice of Iridology to America near the turn of the century. In America, a chiropractor, Dr. Bernard Jensen, is hailed as the most accomplished Iridologist of recent years and is known for his healing philosophy and writings in the area of Iridology. A German Iridologist, Joseph Deck, has witten two full-color volumes, “Principles of Iris Diagnosis”, and Differentiation of Iris Marking”, both translated into English, complete with some of the most significant photo analysis. Physicians in Russia, Germany and France are more acquainted with iridological technique than those who practice in North America. In terms of science, the experimentation in iris evaluation is relatively new and should not be used in isolation but as a comprehensive system coupled with a medical history and other findings.