Restoring Vision with Ayurveda: A Case Report on the Effective Management of Ethambutol-induced Optic Neuropathy

Abstract Ethambutol a first-line chemotherapeutic agent, which is commonly used in combination with other drugs for the treatment of tuberculosis. Visual deterioration due to ethambutol-associated optic neuropathy is a well-known potential side effect of the drug and often causes serious and irreversible visual impairment due to a lack of early detection and effective treatment. It has a low prevalence of 1% and typically develops after 4–12 months of its medication. The present case report is on the effectiveness of Ayurveda management on ethambutol-induced optic neuropathy. A 48-year-old female patient approached to our OPD with complaints of painless blurred vision in both eyes in the last 15 days; she was diagnosed with ethambutol-induced optic neuropathy elsewhere. She underwent steroids orally and intravenously but didn’t recognized results, therefore, she came for Ayurveda management. She received Chakshushya Basti , Nasya , Tarpan , Jalaukavcharan , along with oral medications. Patient showed an improvement in the visual acuity from 6/60P to 6/12P in the right eye in 1.5 months and 6/36–6/12p in the left eye. The patient reports a noticeable improvement in visual clarity, enabling better perception of images and objects along with red-green colour. This case demonstrates that Ayurvedic interventions can provide effective therapeutic support in managing ethambutol-induced optic neuropathy. The multimodal approach not only facilitated visual recovery but also addressed the underlying pathology holistically. These findings suggest that Ayurvedic therapies may serve as a valuable adjunct or alternative, particularly in cases unresponsive to conventional treatments.