October 11, 2026
Illness-Wellness Continuum and Salutogenesis in Vision Care
The Illness-Wellness Continuum and Salutogenesis are holistic approaches to health. Holistic approaches to health focus on the whole person, body, soul and spirit. Soul consists of emotions, mind, and volition. Volition is human will or will-power....Because the optometrist can detect disease at a very early stage and has the ability to track and monitor disease progression at a microvascular and capillary level, the primary care eye provider can suggest that the patient make lifestyle changes (e.g. diet, exercise, stress management) to move the patient from illness toward wellness on the illness-wellness continuum. Lifestyle changes may include the decision to integrate Traditional Western Allopathic Medicine with Traditional East Asian Medicine (Acupuncture, Herbal Medicine, Tui Na Massage and Qi Gong/Tai Chi), Ayurvedic Medicine, various forms of Energy Medicine and other therapies such as hypnosis, biofeedback, and mindful meditation. These types of decisions are complicated and involve physical, emotional, mental, social and spiritual factors including a degree of democratization of health.
