Iridology is the study of the eye and how patterns found within the iris can indicate potential problems within the body itself. This unique and rather fascinating form of alternative medicine does involve some rather serious machinery to properly perform. Practitioners often rely on high-tech devices to help them in the study of individual patient's eyes. The set ups of different iridologists' practices might vary, but in general, three main pieces of iridology equipment are needed for an in-depth study.
The Camera
Most iridologists do not trust the naked eye to enable them to really study an individual patient's situation. Instead, they use specialized iridology equipment to take highly detailed, high resolution images of the iris. The resulting images are then studied and read to look for possible anomalies within the iris. These anomalies are then matched up on an iridology chart to see where potential issues with a patient's health might be coming from.
Camera iridology equipment is often the most expensive purchase involved in this practice. This type of iridology equipment is very similar to what an optometrist might use in practice. In the case of iridology, the cameras rely on fiber optics to produce the necessary images for further study.
Some pieces of iridology equipment work with a computer interface. This will enable a more detailed scanning of the resulting pictures. Other cameras are designed only to produce the images for a manual reading of anomalies found within the eye that might indicate problems within the body.
Computer Equipment
While this is not always considered a required piece of iridology equipment, many practitioners swear by it. When it is used, this specialized software helps practitioners screen resulting camera images for anomalies. The computerized scanning can often turn up issues that iridologists are personally unable to spot. In some cases, the camera equipment and software programs work together so images are sent directly from the camera for detailed reading.
Charts
This is the most basic piece of iridology equipment. The chart itself is a detailed picture of the iris that shows which portions of the eye correspond to certain parts of the body. When anomalies are found by visual examination or through computer scanning, they are matched up to the chart to see where a patient's problem might be coming from.
Iridology is considered by many to be a pre-screening tool. Most alternative medicine practitioners use iridology equipment to help point them in the right direction for further study and diagnosis. This science is not considered by many to provide a solid means for final diagnosis. It is simply performed to point practitioners in the right direction for diagnostic study.
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