Updated February 2025
Iridology is an alternative medicine technique that studies the iris of the eye to discern your general health.
This holistic health practice uses iris charts placed against the eye to give an insight into your overall wellness. Once the iris has been analyzed, the iridologist can make recommendations to promote the patient’s health.
If you’re considering a career in iridology, the first step is to understand the profession and learn the different ways to get a foot into the industry. We’ll explore all of that in more in this guide. Let’s start by examining the difference between an iridologist and an optometrist.
Iridologist vs optometrist
An optometrist’s primary focus is eye health. Their job is to observe the entire eye, looking at its connection to the brain, to diagnose any health conditions or injuries.
Through this, they commonly diagnose myopia and macular degeneration, which can be corrected with spectacles or contact lenses.
An iridologist, however, is looking specifically at the iris, which is the colored section of the eye. They read the iris using a chart, which maps different sections of the iris to parts of the body to determine their likely health.
The practice of iridology has a long history, going back to Philippus Meyeus in the 17th Century. The modern-day “Father of Iridology” was Ignaz Von Peczelys, a 19th-century Hungarian doctor who used the appearance of the iris as a diagnostic tool for uncovering health history.
His theories have been developed into modern alternative medicine; for more, you can research Dr Bernard Jensen’s work. In the 1950s, he created the iris chart, which is still used today.
In short, if one wants help with any eye conditions, they should contact an eye doctor. But if you want to learn more about natural therapies based on the study of the iris, iridology is the way to go.
Eye constitutions in iridology
There are three iris colors, according to iridology: the blue, the brown, and the “biliary” or mixed eye type. These constitutions can signal which health conditions an individual might be prone to based upon their inheritance of genetics.
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The blue eye is associated with a lymphatic constitution, so they may have problems with their mucous membrane, typically affecting the upper respiratory system.
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The brown eye is known as a hematogenic constitution, which is more prone to issues with blood, the liver, and the gastrointestinal system.
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The biliary eye tends to suffer from both hematologic and lymphatic type conditions, meaning they are prone to a mixture of ailments. They should consider being proactive in protecting the health of their liver and their digestive system.
In being armed with this knowledge, iridologists believe you can actively work to prevent specific diseases. While there are no conditions that iridology constitutions can guarantee, they can potentially point you in the right direction.
Iridology personality types
Iridology can help you understand aspects of your personality by analyzing the coloration of the iris. Iridologists claim there are four main types of personality we can identify from the pigment patterns within the iris:
Stream
Someone with a stream iris will find they have a uniform structure to the fibers; it can be the most difficult to identify as it is marked by the absence of irregularities. The personality associated with a stream iris is grounded.
They tend to be fairly intuitive and well-connected to their senses and experiences. Incredibly empathetic, these personalities work well in tandem with others. Nurturing, they bring the best out in those around them and are very physically adept and suited to healthcare and athletics.
Jewel
An iris flecked with darker-colored dots is called a jewel type, which is associated with an analytical personality. Logic dominates with this personality type; everything must be carefully thought through before any changes can be made.
Intense thinkers are not given to large outward shows of emotion and tend to have a precise and succinct verbal delivery that lends their personality to teaching, science, and leadership.
Flower
An iris with rounded openings in a ring that looks like encircling petals falls under the flower type. These people tend to be emotional. Creative, expressive, and full of grace, the joie de vivre of this personality type often makes for excellent artists and engineers.
Always ready to go with the flow, sometimes people with emotional personalities need to ensure they keep focused on whatever task is at hand.
Shaker
A shaker iris tends to combine visual aspects of jewel and flower irises - it will have a combination of flecks and rounded openings around the iris. These people tend to be extremists, meaning they are full of joy and vitality and make the world move with them.
Often incredibly dynamic, perhaps handfuls as children, the shaker personality tends to be an adventurous innovator. They not only embrace change but are frequently the ones leading it.
What does an iridologist do?
Iridology practitioners will analyze the iris using diagnostic methods. The iridology chart they use divides the iris into sections; the practice of iridology involves using this chart and the patient’s own eye to understand the patient’s health.
Once the eye reading is complete and any irregular stromal cells have been identified, an iridologist makes recommendations based on current symptoms and suspected underlying conditions. They will then measure progress over time to see if any problems have been alleviated.
It is often used as a form of preventative medicine, so it can be utilized to combat future potential health issues, charting inflammation before it becomes a major issue.
What are the key areas of study?
The first thing you learn in iridology is about the history of this traditional medicine, grounding you in theory. Then, you learn about the anatomy of the eye and the iris itself.
The next step is to learn about the equipment needed to observe any changes in the iris. You then learn how to practice iridology, which is when a patient’s iris reflects their whole body, and you learn how changes could be a sign of health issues.
Iridology practitioners claim to be able to detect a plethora of conditions within the human body through eye diagnosis, including problems with the gallbladder and the digestive and lymph systems, liver damage, and a weakened immune system.
What iridology courses are available to study?
Courses for Success has a specialized Iridology Online Certificate course.
Previous students have enjoyed the detailed nature of the course, which is easy to navigate and allows you to move at your own pace through the materials.
This training program aims to teach you all you need to know about both iridology as a functional medicine, and the business side of setting up as a health practitioner.
The combination of expert foundational and practical advice is why we have such a high rating and so many positive reviews!
We also have courses in other lines of holistic health that pair beautifully with iridology:
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Hand reflexology: This course teaches the techniques to stimulate the reflex points across the hands and fingers to rebalance the whole body. Reviewers have enjoyed this “well-structured” program.
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Subtle body anatomy: If you have ever wondered if there is more we could be doing to boost our energy levels, subtle body anatomy could be the course for you.
Looking at principles such as chakras, meditation, the aura, and reflexology, this program offers a comprehensive guide to energy medicine.
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Acupuncture: A traditional Chinese medicine, acupuncture is acknowledged worldwide as a useful tool for treating chronic pain and a variety of ailments, with over 10 million estimated acupuncture patients annually in the USA alone.
Grounded in theory, our acupuncture course teaches you all you need to know about the use of needles to improve a patient’s well-being.
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Cupping therapy: This therapy has been increasing in popularity of late! The course teaches you the basic principles of cupping, which is a form of therapy by which cups are placed strategically upon the skin to reduce inflammatio,n among other health benefits.
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Kinesiology: The study of the movement of the human body seems a no-brainer for anyone interested in muscular systems. It is designed to prevent energy through biofeedback (analyzing a muscle’s response to stimuli).
If you are aiming to set up as a holistic health practitioner, you can purchase one of our bundles, learning iridology and other schools with our online training programs. You can browse our whole health therapies range for more ideas.
Summing up
Iridology is a fascinating holistic therapy. By analyzing the iris, practitioners may learn more about a person’s health, potentially discovering underlying health conditions.
If you are interested in the practice of iridology, you can explore this fascinating alternative therapy with the Iridology Course from Courses for Success.
FAQs
How is the iridology course assessed?
There is a multiple-choice test at the end of the course materials, which you can take as many times as you need. This is a certification course, so once you have passed the test, you will receive a Certificate of Completion.
Is the course in-person or online?
The entire course is conducted online, so you can access the materials whenever and wherever you would like.
Do I have to be a medical doctor to sign up for this course?
While we require basic numeracy and literacy to be able to access the course, plus access to a computer and the internet, you do not need any prior qualifications to obtain your certificate in iridology.
How long will this course take me?
The iridology program with Courses for Success takes 150 hours to complete. You can begin working on it as soon as you have paid the course fees and received the materials online.
What textbooks do I need to buy for the iridology course?
While you are welcome to read up on the topic yourself, you do not need to buy any textbooks to understand this course! All of the materials are provided when you log in to your account after purchasing the course.