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A 32-year-old member asked:

Can a holistic practitioner really reads the whites of you're eyes for a basis of overall health?

1 doctor answer2 doctors weighed in
Dr. Pamela Pappas
Psychiatry 44 years experience
Not quite: I'm not sure, but i wonder if you might be thinking of iridology? This focuses on the colored part of the eye, the iris, rather than the white part of your eye (sclera). Iridologists say that because there are so many nerve endings in the iris, it can reveal tendencies to illness. A 1979 jama article could draw no conclusions about this. For additional info, see: http://www.Iridologyassn.Org.
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Dr. Tim Conrad
Dr. Tim Conrad commented
Ophthalmology 36 years experience
There have been at least two controlled studies that show that iridology is nothing but quackery.
Jul 8, 2013
Dr. Pamela Pappas
Psychiatry 44 years experience
Provided original answer
Sure enough, Dr. Conrad. I mentioned it informationally, not because I am a subscriber.
Jul 8, 2013

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Last updated Dec 9, 2013

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