What is Sclerology and how does it work ?

By David Holden, ND, MS, Principal, Institute of Applied Iridology & Sclerology

Many of you have heard about Sclerology since we brought it to New Zealand in 1998. Common questions asked are what is it ? How does it work ? Is it better than Iridology ? Is it complex, involved or take long to train in ?

Sclerology has two distinct sources; Native American Indian, which is the form that we teach here in New Zealand and Australia, and the Chinese version. Little research has been done into the Oriental version as the sparse texts are only available in Chinese and interpretation is a long complex and involved process. Much more accessible is the Native American Indian tradition that has been written down directly into English.

Sclerology is defined as the interpretation of the red lines in the whites of the eyes and their meaning for health evaluation and analysis. The work that we teach here in New Zealand is from the original manuscripts and direct verbal teachings of Dr Alexander Stuart Wheelwright who was both a Herbalist and a Medicine Man with two tribes in the Native American Indian traditions. A controversial character, he gave permission for his teachings to be written down and taught by Dr. Jack Tips, a well-known lecturer, author and practitioner of Clinical Nutrition, Homeopathy and Natural Medicine in Austin, Texas, USA.

Sclerology works by Neuro-muscular reflexes from the brain and optic nerve into the four rectus muscles surrounding each eye. These reflexes transmit direct informa-tion about the blood, lymph, and nervous system integrity of all parts of the physical body onto the four main quadrants of the sclera, or white portion of the eyes.

Sclerology is not "better" than Iridology, nor is Iridology "better" than Sclerology. Both eye sciences are part of the Integrated Eye Diagnosis system that we have been teaching in Australia & New Zealand since 1998.

Dr. Jack Tips states: "Iridologists use Sclerology as a second witness to the information that the body is trying to tell us about it's internal state. . . . more accomplished Iridologists in the US now use both systems because their accuracy rate improves helping them treat patients and clients more effectively."

We teach Sclerology downunder as a stand alone system as well as an additional, confirming diagnostic technique for the competent Natural Therapist who is striving for better diagnostic abilities and treatment options for their patients and clients. Obviously the more training in related subjects (e.g. Homeopathy, Nutrition, Medicine, Chinese Medicine, Naturopathy, Herbalism, Homeobotanicals, Bodywork, Counselling, etc.) that the practitioner has studied, the more useful they will find Sclerology in clinical applications.

For the general public, confidence in the practitioner improves as their ability to sort out the "wood from the trees" dramatically increases using this technology. This results in a greater chance of getting well faster and staying that way.

Sclerology has been around for a long time (at least 3000 years in Chinese Medicine and Native American Indian traditions). One thing is for sure - we haven't heard the last of this intriguing system of health evaluation. Advances in Computer applications, emotional interpretation of signs and more Western research by the ISI and it's affiliates, is revealing the inherent wisdom of this system of health analysis.