The Bridge Between East and West:

Russian Iridologists in North America

The following article is a reprint from the Iridology Review published in the Winter of 1998 by the International Iridology Research Association.

Editor’s note

As part of NIRA’s ongoing goal of providing a forum for the support and exchange of information and research, the purpose of this review is to bring you a unique perspective from three Russian medical doctors. These doctors were all practicing Iridologists before their arrival in North America. Dr. Valdimer Schmitsman is practicing Reflex Therapy in Vancouver B.C., Canada. Dr. Natalya Dambuyeva is living in Sanford, Maine and Dr. Grigoriy Abramov is a research associate at the University of Chicago.

Each person brings a depth of insight from his or her experiences in Russia that can enrich our western view. As I worked on this article, I found it to be a profound experience in reaching beyond my culture and practice. I look forward to continuing our dialogue in future issues.

At times, I have reworded and summarized some of the transcript from the doctors for easier reading. –Maureen Smith

So, tell us about your background…

Vladimer: I am an alternative practitioner in Vancouver, B.C., Canada, for the last eight years. In Russia, it took seven years to get my M.D. degree. After I practiced for two years I decided to change my way of curing my patients. I studied and became a RD – a reflex therapy doctor. A RD is a specialist who knows Iridology, acupuncture, herbology, and energetic exercises like Tai Chi and Yoga.

I can tell you my feelings. When I am doing an Iridology analysis, I feel like I am talking with the brain of this person. I cannot explain it exactly, this expression, but when I see this eye — to me it is like a universe. I can see how one is alive, how one is moved, and through one’s eyes you get this information. This is more than Iridology, I think.

Smith: It is like a mandala for life

Vladimir: Absolutely. I think the iris is like the universe. It is trying to tell me something, trying to send me information, trying to give me information. Now the question is, am I able to understand this language? In the world today there are so many different languages, but usually when you meet someone and you don’t their language you can explain things with your hands and you can see the expression in their eyes.

Of course, you always have an intuition of what the person would like to tell you. They have many different schools for Iridology. So maybe one school is better and another school is not so exact, and a third school gives you a little different information. But I think when you start to watch eyes more often you start to have you own personal intuition. If this intuition is not the same as how your school teaches you, it does not mean you are wrong. You have to listen to your intuition. You have to believe in your abilities. I think this is the best way to pick out information from the eyes.

Natalya: I was educated as physician and practiced for thirteen years in Russia. I worked in the Oriental Medical Center in East Siberia near the great lake Baikal. It’s a center of eastern medicine (folk medicine) oriented towards Tibetan-Buddhist and Mongolian healing methods. I practiced medicine and acupuncture. The acupuncture that I practice is SUSOK (a unique Korean method of treatment on the hands). For seven years, I was a western ophthalmology doctor in a hospital. I had many patients with glaucoma and I treated them successfully with acupuncture. In 1990, I started studying Iridology. It was very popular in Russia at that time. I worked s an Iridologist for more than 5 years.

Thus, in Russia I had several medical specialties: therapy, opthamology, Iridology, herbology, and acupuncture. And I used all of the knowledge to treat my patients. But now I have a challenge because here (USA) is a different medical system. Here I must make a choice between conventional medicine and naturopathics. Naturopathic is more close to my nature and I consider Iridology a real alternative for my practice.

I married recently. My husband is a US citizen who owns a health food store. I met him when he was a tourist in Russia. I moved to the US in April 1997.

Grigoriy: My birthplace is Uzbekistan, former Russian Republic. In 1979 I received a medical degree in the Medical School of Tashkent. I have special training in cardiology. In 1989 I took certified iris diagnosis courses. I worked as an Iridologist and cardiologist in a private clinic. I moved to the US with my family several years ago. My primary statistical results show high percentage of identical diagnosis between clinical and Iridology methods. In Russia, I had some opportunity to compare my results with clinical and laboratory analysis. We used ultrasound, EKG, gastroscopy, mammography, and many other clinical techniques. Often I saw genetic disease when I observed the irises from parents and their children.

To increase productivity we developed and used our own computerized system, which was presented at the first Russian Conference “Iridology and Computer” (Moscow 1990), and recognized as the best software package for iridologist-practitioners. Also, we organized the first computerized Iridology courses in Central Asia.

Presently I am working as a Research Associate at the University of Chicago. I like the work I do; however, I keep Iridology in the back of my mind to do in the future. I believe Iridology is a helpful method in assessing internal diseases.

In Russia I saw a physician who practiced Iridology. He read my eyes. He knew what was happening to me 100%. He didn’t touch me or make any kind of gesture; he just looked in my iris. At the same time, different Iridology schools sprang up. Because of my first encounter with the Iridologist and because I am a physician, I took the Iridology courses. Iridology is still a developing science and practice. You learn what they present to you in school and it sparks some understanding. However, additional investigation and research is what is important for an Iridologist. There are things in the eye that you see that you don’t understand what it means or what it doesn’t mean.
How is Iridology practiced and received in Russia?

Vladimir: As a reflexology doctor in Russia our concept is any knowledge that comes from internal organs, through: eyes, ears, scalp acupuncture point, color of skin, or any reflex connection zones, can give you information about internal balances.

In Russia, through reflexology you can receive the same information about the body from many connections; Iridology is one of them. For example, at home the are five telephones and each telephone is connected to the same line. Of someone calls you, you have five rings. You can pickup any headset and you have the same connection. This is the same thing that is happening with the human body. You can receive information through the eyes (Iridology), through the ears, through the scalp, through reflexology zones (on hands, feet or nails). Iridology is one part, one handset, of reflexology.

Because of the Russian medical educational system, Iridology is presented in a more scientific way. It’s easy, because if I am M.D. I can speak to another M.D. I can tell them, “Listen, this is real, this if proof. This is my patient, Bill X, and this is his blood test, x-ray, and his iris picture.” All of this I can share because I am in the same position as one doctor to another. When a medical doctor presents this information to his patient, it gives a different impression. If a doctor says this is beneficial for you, then the patient accepts it.

Natalya: When I first started practicing Iridology it was very positive. My medical director was very supportive and I had good results. Later, in Moscow I had another medical director who did not have a complete understanding and appreciation for Iridology. The director’s view was negative, which made my work very difficult.

Grigoriy: In Russia, only M.D.s practice Iridology. I just started my business. I worked with a patient. They said it’s interesting, and the next time they bring their friends and relations. It’s called geometric progression. Many people come to my office to get a primary conclusion about their health condition. It was not just individuals. Many businesses asked me to perform Iridology tests on their employees.

An engineering company came to us and asked, “Can you test our workers? We need to know how healthy they are and how they are feeling.” Something very interesting happened. A lad came in and then a second lady came in with the same signals as the first. A third lady came in with the same signals as the first and second lady. When the fourth came in I asked, “Where do you work? Are you all from the same department?” She said yes. They worked on the same project using cleaning chemicals and they all had the same problems. Eventually, there were six women all had the same problem. All had a change in he iris, located in areas corresponding to the brain zone. In the right iris I saw a change in color to light yellow, a toxic pigmentation. And all complained of headaches.
We’ve been told that the Russians have done extensive clinical research regarding iridology. Can you tell us about your experience?

Valdimir: We do have information about serious research which was done on a clinical basis in hospitals. They would take pictures of patient’s eyes who for example, got stomach cancer. After that they would take a x-ray of the stomach or use a fiber gastroscope. When you can compare a picture of the eyes and at the same time videotape from the scope, it can prove the real benefits of Iridology.

While I was getting my Ph.D., we checked one thousand people who worked in factories to find a group at risk through Iridology pictures. We scanned this group of people and focused on problems with stomach, heart, and kidney. We formed a research group of people from the factories.

Later these people would have checkups with the appropriate doctors. We research the effectiveness of Iridology and the ability to diagnose as a way to prevent disease.

The government really didn’t do anything for research. But they did not prevent you doing it. If you wanted to research Iridology, you could do it. Nobody stopped me if I checked my patients. Then after that I sent my patients for a x-ray or blood test or something else. So this is actually a private business. If you are a doctor, you know what you are doing. So this is up to you. You can use Iridology or you can use something else for a normal examination.

Natalya: As an Iridologist, different people came to me. I looked at the iris, and then I asked questions about their medical history. If I saw signs in the iris, I investigated them by acupuncture methods. I saw meridians on the body, felt the temperature and resilience of acupuncture zones. For example, if I saw kidney problems in the iris, I checked signal acupuncture points on the patient’s body. I would try to find pain. What I found in the iris correlated to what I found in the body. Usually after that I sent the patients for ultrasound and other diagnostic procedures.

What I found was 80% of the iris diagnosis was confirmed by clinical diagnosis. I kept documented notes on all my patients in a personal journal. I investigated my iris diagnosis clinically for two years.

Grigoriy: For the first two years, I saw my patients for one to two hours for an iris analysis. Any sign that I saw I would ask questions and take additional clinical tests. From my research I created my own understanding of Iridology and what the various markings in the iris mean.

Now, when I look into the iris I make a determination on what’s there, and then I ask the patient additional questions. I am careful not to scare the patient. I suggest they have a second test, an electrocardiogram or something like that.

From children’s eyes, I get ideas about what health problems their parents and grandparents are facing, and also what predispositions they have.

I find that Iridology is quite accurate. Physicians and patients find this is an inexpensive tool to find information regarding their health. Many people took advantage of free examinations and medical tests in Russia before they left the country to live elsewhere as part of Glasnost.

Vladimir: In Russia they use a slit lamp for looking at the eye. It has a magnification of 20 times, 40 times, 60 times, or 80 times. I have this old Russian microscope with me now and I am really happy with it. First, I use it like a magnifying glass to get an overall picture. Then I like to check four or five different magnifications using the microscope, because each magnification gives you a little different information.

Then I start asking questions of the patient. For example, if you see a deposit of pigment in an area and this area is connected to some system, let’s say heart or pulmonary system or liver, I ask the patient if they have this problem, like high cholesterol or heart attack.

Or you ask questions about the genetic background about parents, brother, and sister. Then actually you are finished. You have some pictures and you just write in information once you get it.

I am researching color changes in the iris. Through changes of color you can think about chemical elements. Chemical elements are substances like copper or potassium. For example, if in the liver you find a little greenish color, it means you may have a lot of copper in the body. There could bee too much copper because the liver has started to lose the ability to process the copper out of the body. So it begins to accumulate in the organ, and this change of color shows in the eyes right away, or it could be later. If you see gray color in the pancreas, you may have a different chemical element. Generally, each chemical element can change color in a different way. When you do an Iridology analysis, for example, in the liver area you happen to see a change of color, you start to think about chemical elements in the body. So when you find these significant changes when there is a pigment in the area, you can give herbs which treat whatever element is within the organ. This is a totally new research for me, so I don’t have a 100% agreement. This needs more research.

Natalya: I used a slit lamp made for ophthalmologists in Russia.

Grigoriy: Most Iridologists use slit lamps for observation of the iris. There is a concentration on high magnification of up to 56 resolution. In my practice, if you use 20 or below you miss too much useful information.

Vladimir: I read the whole eye, anything connected to the eye. First, I make a general check about the original color. For example, is the original color blue, green, or gray. Later, I try to see other different colorations in the eye, orange or brown or any kind of pigments. After the first visual check, I go over particular changes that I find in the eye. (Vladimir uses Velkovers’s IRIS chart-ed.). I look for which parts of the eyes have larger concentrations of markings or adaptation circles (lacuna), various big circles that are open or closed, and I note in which eye it is located. You look at the condition of the iris and you try to pick up intensity of the configurations within the eye. Then I try to pick up a main correspondent reflex and the secondary corespondent reflex, which may be 180 degrees opposite to the main corespondent reflex.

Two years ago, a young man came to me with complaints of discomfort in the lower abdominal area. There was sharp pain. So he went from doctor to doctor to find out what is wrong. Nobody was able to find anything wrong with him. I did an Iridology analysis and found in the testicle area lots of dark pigment. After seeing this I asked him if he had any problems with testicles. He had been in a bad car accident and hit his right testicle. So I sent him to an urologist who found cancer. They took one testicle out and gave him radiation, and it basically saved his life. The urologist said, “I don’t know who sent you since people with cancer of this type don’t have any pain or serious significant symptoms.” Actually, it can be a very bad cancer, which can spread very fast and quickly. Because he was diagnosed very early, it saved his life.

Natalya: I have no specific knowledge on the sclera, but I had some experience using the blood vessels in the conjunctive of the eye. If the blood vessels are dilated or curved, the area where they are located, for example the liver, may indicate a chronic condition is present in that organ. If I see blood vessels that look like commas on the temporal sides of the iris, it may point to cardiopathy, emphysema, or a chronic disorder in the lungs.

I saw many times a change in the pupillary border. The pupillary border tells me about the person’s energy. For example, old people or people who have chronic disease often have changes in the pupillary border. The border assisted me to understand how chronic, toxic, or healthy a person was. It told me how much energy supply they had available to them. Sometimes if a disease process is in a kidney or lower part of the body, the patient will have a lack of pigment in the lower part of the pupillary border. People who are young and healthy have dark brown borders around the entire pupil that are thick and in good condition and well connected. With glaucoma the border of the pupil changes, it exfoliates. It’s like the border is flaking with tiny snowflakes. Sometimes in glaucoma the border is missing. The collarette is very important for diagnosis. For example, if I find some problems with the heart or kidney area, it will be curved toward the direction of the pupil. If there is a problem with the gall bladder, the collarette is curved away from the pupil. If the collarette is flattened at 12 o’clock they may be predisposed to depression or mental disorders.

If the fiber in the lacunas is deep, patterned, and dark colored, it’s a more chronic disorder. If the lacuna has a pigment then it may be in the clinical process of disease. If the lacuna is very light and not deep then it is a pre-disposition. People with daisy patterns, having many lacunas, I have noticed really have problems with their glands. The people from my area have dark brown eyes and often have iris signs in the liver (a lack of pigment or stoma), but more often they have iris signs in the kidney.

Vladimir: We created a new way to do acupuncture. We call it “Light Acupuncture.” It is not a laser. It is a red concentrated light, which the computer sends with different frequencies for different people. The computer creates a different program of frequency. We send light by bio-resonance. Light is sent to acupuncture point, to reflexology zones, in the scalp, the feet, the hands and the ears. You can pass through the acupuncture meridians; you can massage the meridians. In bio-light acupuncture, we have lots of people who come just for preventive treatment because it doesn’t hurt. But it’s very effective because in one treatment you can take the pain away.

Natalya: In 1990, I began working as a doctor of Iridology at an alternative oriental medicine center in Buryatia, East Siberia near Lake Baikal, which specialized in Tibetan Buddhist and Mongolian folk medicine. We used herbal approaches for healing. We had an herb store at our center where they accumulated herbs from our regions and other regions in Russia.

I could prescribe for my patients herbal recipes that were specific for their illness. I would see something in the iris or something from the acupuncture reading and I would make a special recipe, a formula for my patients.

I created a formula for liver and a formula for kidney. When people drink too much and poison themselves there is a skin condition that points to alcohol intoxication. My formulas help to eliminate this condition and help the liver to function again.

For example, I treated a six-year-old boy with acute leukemia. At the time I prescribed the herbs, I did not believe they would work. This boy drank the herbs for one year and he also took very toxic medicine for chemotherapy. The toxic medicine depresses the production of new cells. After one year, he came back and I did not recognize him because he was healthy. I was surprised, and after that I continued to research them more. The next person with liver cancer, I gave him my formulas. Of course it was too late, but he felt better. I don’t know his destiny because I moved to Moscow, but he drank it for two weeks and he felt better, appetite became better and the pain was less, so there was a little improvement.

Then another man with a pre-cancerous stomach ulcer, who was a brother of a doctor friend of mine, asked me to prescribe my formulas. He drank the two recipes and his ulcer became very little and he had relief from alcoholic intoxication.

So it needs further research. It works for some conditions but not all. I took the formulas to an organization in our city that distributes herbal formulas and it has become very popular.

Grigoriy: I studied basic Iridology for three weeks, eight hours each day. For better understanding of different Iridology schools, I took two additional courses. Velkover and several colleagues got together and created a research organization from their clinical practice. They presented a proposal to the Medical Science Board in Moscow. The Medical Science Board approved the proposal and allowed Iridology to be taught to M.D.s. It gave validity to Iridology.

Authors E. S. Velkhover, N. B. Shulpina, Z. A. Alieva, F. N. Romashox (1988) printed the first book on Iridology in Russia called Iridodiagnosis. This book is a serious presentation of Iridology as a non-invasive medical test. Then they went their own separate teaching directions. Velkover, Romashov, and Shulpina formed the Russian approach to Iridology. Although they inter-mixed their knowledge, each one has heir own strength. They have different methods of teaching emphasis, but the material that they teach is basically the same technical information. We were also able to connect with the Iridology methods of Bernard Jensen, Josef deck, Ginter, Alieva, and Vichaze. About Deck or Jensen, who is better, you couldn’t say because every physician has their own opinion about Iridology.

Many Russian iridology articles are printed in the official medical journals. It is important to note iris findings are documented in a patient’s medical records for future reference.

Another important and unique book on Iridology from the Chernobyl studies in 1995 is Clinical and Experimental Iridology by G. P. Potebnya, G. S. Lisovenka, V. V. Krivenko. I was surprised to find it here in a US library. It is only in Russian. Also my brother Michael Abramov, Ph.D. wrote the book Iridology, which is translated in English and available on the Internet (ed- Internet address is http://www.mcs.net/~gabromov/).