Iridology: What Your Eyes Say About Health

Dr. Boris Wydoff

"The eyes are the mirror of the soul," the saying goes. Naturopathy adds: of the body too. Iridology — reading the iris of the eye — is one of the tools of natural medicine. I use it in my own practice. The iris shows which systems are weakened or overloaded, and helps me understand what deserves attention. In all my years of practice, I have never seen an iris free of some sign of overload. Complete health is rare.

What is iridology and where it comes from

Iridology is a way of assessing the state of the body from signs on the iris. Conventional medicine does not recognize it, but naturopathy has used it for a long time. I have practiced it for more than forty years.

In the early twentieth century, naturopathic doctors described how illness changes the iris. I draw on the work of Dr. Jensen, a well-known iridology specialist. In my own practice, the iris has more than once pointed to something worth attention before symptoms became obvious.

The iris is tissue packed with an enormous number of tiny nerve fibers. Through the optic nerves, the thalamus, and the spinal cord, it connects to every organ in the body. When an organ works under strain for a long time, its corresponding area on the iris can change color, density, or show markings. A trained eye reads this map.

Many people ask, "Does it really work?" The method is not recognized by conventional medicine, but naturopathy has applied it for decades. The iris offers a clue about which systems deserve attention. From there, lab tests and a doctor's exam take over.

How the iris chart is organized

The iris has its own chart. Each organ is represented in a precisely defined spot. I keep this chart in front of me whenever I examine an iris.

For example, the zone around the pupil corresponds to the stomach and intestines. The outer rim of the iris corresponds to the lymphatic vessels of the intestine and the skin. On the right eye, zone 5:29 corresponds to the prostate gland. Examining this zone, one can notice changes in color and in the fine trabeculae that point to early changes in the prostate area. The location of these markings is consistent from person to person and lines up with reported complaints.

The iris receives information from every nerve in the body through the optic nerves, the thalamus, and the spinal cord. The nerve fibers, muscle fibers, and tiny vessels of the iris reproduce changes occurring in the corresponding organs. That is why a shift in color or the appearance of a marking can indicate the condition of a specific part of the body.

What signs the doctor looks for

I look at color, dark patches, rings, rims, and spots. Each sign means something.

A white ring around the outer edge of the iris can point to a buildup of inorganic sodium. If whitish flecks appear on the outer rim, this is often a sign of damage to the intestinal lymphatic vessels following medication, ice, or surgery.

A rust-brown color around the pupil indicates a deposit of inorganic iron in the tissues of the stomach and intestines. Yellow spots in this area indicate sulfur. Bright red dots indicate iodine. White streaks and cloudy patches indicate phosphorus. A darkening of the whole iris, especially after treatment with antitoxins or large doses of medication, is a sign of substances the body has not eliminated. I have seen a blue or light-brown iris turn ashen gray or brownish gray.

A white or yellowish-brown color in the stomach and intestine zone points to catarrhal inflammation of the mucous membrane. A large, distinctive rim in a woman can point to inactive, atrophied skin and poor surface circulation.

Inorganic minerals on the iris

Organic minerals from fruit, berries, vegetables, and herbs leave no trace on the iris — the body easily eliminates the excess. Inorganic forms, taken in as medication or supplements, are another matter. Iron in inorganic form deposits in the tissues of the stomach and intestines and produces a rust-brown color around the pupil. Sulfur shows up as yellow spots in the same area. Iodine, extracted from seaweed ash and taken in medicinal form, can leave bright red dots. Phosphorus leaves white streaks and cloudy patches in the zones of the corresponding organs. Sodium in inorganic form produces a dense white rim along the outer edge. Ordinary table salt is an exception — it barely changes the iris, even though too much of it is still not good for you.

When a person changes their diet and lifestyle, these markings can gradually fade and disappear. I have seen this happen many times in my practice.

What the iris can tell you

The iris shows inherited weaknesses, organ overload, acute and chronic inflammation, drug deposits, the state of the nervous system and capillaries, and the degree of toxin buildup. It reveals constitution, strengths and weaknesses, and the type of nervous and immune system a person has.

In a newborn, the iris can show inherited weaknesses that have not yet shown up. If a child grows up in unfavorable conditions, these markings become more pronounced, and tendencies turn into chronic conditions. If living conditions are right, inherited tendencies can be softened.

How the markings change during cleansing

When a person changes their diet, gets their sleep in order, and takes steps toward cleansing, the iris does not stay the same. Markings that pointed to drug or inorganic deposits gradually fade. Sometimes a healing crisis comes first: old symptoms return — headache, ringing in the ears, catarrh, bone pain. This is the body eliminating what has built up. After a properly managed crisis, the signs of toxicity on the iris diminish or disappear. I have watched a dark iris lighten, with the original blue showing through beneath the brown. Changes like this take time and need a specialist's supervision.

The iris helps identify which systems need attention. The specific condition is then clarified through a doctor's examination. Since conventional medicine does not recognize the method, I always recommend pairing an iris exam with standard testing: lab work, ultrasound, a doctor's exam.

How an iris exam works

The patient sits facing me. I examine the iris of both eyes, compare it against the chart, and note the markings. Then I ask questions: what hurts, how you sleep, how you eat, what medications you have taken. Often the iris points to something the person forgot about or didn't think was important.

For example, a woman comes in complaining of constipation and pain. The iris shows a large rim — sluggish skin, poor circulation. In the intestinal zone there are signs of catarrhal damage and atony. I say, "It looks like your intestines and stomach have dropped, which explains the constipation and the heaviness." She confirms it: doctors had mentioned a bend in the uterus, but no one had mentioned the stomach. The iris revealed weakness in the digestive organs.

I say, "Here, according to my chart, there's an overload in the liver. Let's check it with lab tests and take a look at your diet."

Before the exam

No special preparation is needed. It helps to recall what medications you have taken, even long ago — the iris often shows a trace of a drug someone has forgotten about. Be ready to talk about your sleep, diet, bowel habits, and past illnesses. This helps match what's seen on the iris with your history.

What to do after the exam

If I see an overload, I explain that the organ in question needs support. It's worth reviewing your diet and getting your sleep in order. Cleansing is best done under a specialist's supervision, so as not to cause harm. My books describe natural approaches: fresh juices, gentle warmth applied to the liver area.

Diet, cleansing, sleep

I often suggest starting with something simple: reviewing the diet, adding fresh vegetable and fruit juices, and getting sleep in order. For example, with an overloaded liver and gallbladder, a drink made from carrot, beet, ginger, garlic, and apple can help. It's sipped slowly, in small amounts. The liver is warmed with a rubber hot-water bottle, which gives off gentle, gradually cooling heat, conforms to the body, and doesn't burn the skin the way an electric pad can. Sleeping with the windows open can help too. Bowel cleansing and choleretic remedies are chosen individually and only after a standard medical workup. Fasting or strict restriction is used only when indicated and under supervision.

Natural methods call for patience and monitoring. I always ask patients to get a standard medical workup first, to rule out conditions that need urgent medical care. The iris helps clarify where to start.

For more on how I work with the iris and with natural methods, see my book "Secrets of Youth."

When you need a doctor, not an iris exam

Iridology is not meant for acute conditions. If you have sudden vision loss, eye pain, redness, an injury, or a spot suddenly appearing in your field of vision, see an ophthalmologist immediately. These conditions have nothing to do with reading the iris.

Also see a doctor if you notice the iris itself has changed suddenly — a new dark spot has appeared, or the color of one eye has changed. This can be a sign of disease in the eye itself, not a reflection of internal organs. Don't wait.

Boris Wydoff — naturopath and author, Ph.D. in nutrition. For over fifty years I have helped people restore health through nutrition, cleansing and the power of the mind — in Europe, America and Asia. About the author →

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