Prakriti phenotyping in Central Serous Retinopathy (CSR) - case series on Ayurvedic therapeutic outcomes

Sep 28, 2026

Central Serous Retinopathy (CSR) is a retinal disorder marked by serous detachment of the neurosensory retina, often linked with psychological stress and Type A personality traits. In an Ayurvedic framework, these features align with Vata predominance, including hyperactivity, anxiety, and autonomic instability. This case series evaluates Ayurvedic management outcomes for CSR patients identified as Vata Prakriti, using an integrated regimen of oral medications, local ocular therapies, and lifestyle guidance. Marked visual and OCT-based anatomical improvements occurred within 4–17 months with no observed recurrence over 1 year.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryHealthcare

FormatPDF

Pages6

Reading Time15 min

AccessFree to download

Background

Case presentation

Conclusion

Key evidence and management approach

Diagnostic confirmation and Vata Prakriti assessment

Treatment regimen and lifestyle guidance

Introduction

TYPE Case Report PUBLISHED 18 December 2025 DOI 10. 3389/fmed.2025.1722235 OPEN ACCESS EDITED BY Soﬁa Sieczkowska, Independent Researcher, Juiz de Fora, Brazil REVIEWED BY Pan Long, General Hospital of Western Theater Command, China Kapil Mehar, Mandsaur University, India *CORRESPONDENCE Shanti. K [shaansyam@gmail.com](shaansyam@gmail.com) RECEIVED 10 October 2025 REVISED 25 November 2025 ACCEPTED 02 December 2025 PUBLISHED 18 December 2025 CITATION K S and G G (2025) Prakriti phenotyping in Central Serous Retinopathy (CSR): case series on Ayurvedic therapeutic outcomes in Vata individuals. Front. Med. 12:1722235 . doi: 10.3389/fmed.2025.1722235 COPYRIGHT © 2025 K and G. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY) . The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) and the copyright owner(s) are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms. Prakriti phenotyping in Central Serous Retinopathy (CSR): case series on Ayurvedic therapeutic outcomes in Vata individuals Shanti. K1* and Gopinathan. G2 1Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham Amrita School of Ayurveda, Kollam, India, 2 Govt Ayurveda Hospital, Kannur, India Background: Central Serous Retinopathy (CSR) is a retinal disorder characterized by serous detachment of the neurosensory retina, commonly associated with psychological stress and Type A personality traits. From an Ayurvedic perspective, these features correspond to Vata predominance, marked by hyperactivity, anxiety, and autonomic instability. Such individuals may be constitutionally predisposed to disorders of Vata imbalance, including retinal pathologies resembling Vataja Shopha. This case series explores therapeutic outcomes of Ayurvedic management in CSR among individuals with Vata Prakriti. Case presentation: Three patients-two males (aged 65 and 46 years) and one female (aged 40 years), diagnosed with CSR and conﬁrmed as Vata Prakriti through a standardized questionnaire, were treated with an identical Ayurvedic regimen comprising Ashwagandha tablets, Punarnavadi Kashaya, Tiktaka Ghrita, Kalyanaka Ghrita, and Triphala Churna. Local ocular therapies included Shiro Pichu with Brahmi Ghrita, Pratimarsha Nasya with Anu Taila, and Anjana Karma with Elaneer Kozhumbu. Lifestyle advice emphasized regular sleep, timely meals, guided meditation, and reduced screen exposure. All three patients demonstrated marked improvement in visual acuity and complete anatomical resolution of macular ﬂuid on Optical Coherence Tomography within 4–17 months. No recurrence was observed over 1 year of follow-up. Conclusion: This case series highlights a possible association between CSR and Vata Prakriti. Vata pacifying and Rasayana based Ayurvedic interventions showed favorable visual and structural outcomes. Incorporating Prakriti phenotyping in ocular disease management may enhance personalized, integrative approaches to retinal disorders. KEYWORDS Ayurveda, personalized medicine, CSCR, Shopha, macular edema 1 Introduction Central Serous Retinopathy (CSR) is a retinal disorder characterized by the accumulation of subretinal 􀀃uid at the macula, leading to blurred or distorted central vision and increased macular thickness on optical coherence tomography (OCT) (1) . The condition primarily a􀀓ects young to middle-aged adults and has gained signi􀀂cance due to its potential to cause lasting visual de􀀂cits in a working-age population. Psychological stress and certain behavioral traits have been consistently implicated in the onset of CSR. Individuals exhibiting Type A personality characteristics such as impatience, competitiveness, and emotional overreactivity show a higher prevalence of CSR compared with those witho

FAQs

What is the relationship proposed between CSR and Vata Prakriti?

The case series suggests a possible association, arguing that CSR-related stress and Type A traits resemble Vata predominance in Ayurvedic medicine, reflecting autonomic instability and hyperresponsiveness.

How were the patients in this case series diagnosed as Vata Prakriti?

Three CSR patients were confirmed through a standardized questionnaire as having Vata Prakriti.

What treatment and follow-up results were reported?

Patients received an identical Ayurvedic regimen plus local ocular therapies and lifestyle advice. All showed marked visual improvement and complete macular fluid resolution on OCT within 4–17 months, with no recurrence over 1 year.

Sep 28, 2026

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