Cure those Puffy Eyes

A lot of young people today are facing the problem of Puffy eyes. Puffy eyes is a caused as a result of fluid retention in our eyes which leads to inflammation. Faulty lifestyle is the biggest contributor to this problem. Other factors which results in puffy eyes are improper or lack of sleep, stress, excessive alcohol consumption, junk food etc. Altering lifestyle is the best way to cure this problem. Drink lots of water and have bright coloured fruits like strawberries, blueberries, oranges, grapes etc. and vegetables such as green leafy vegetables, lettuce, beans which are rich in antioxidants. Also, have minimum 6-8 hours of sleep on a daily basis.

Safe distance to watch TV

According to old school thought  watching TV  is harmful for eyes of the kids.This belief has been held for a long time with parents trying to stop their kids from watching TV altogether.With that having not worked,the parents have now worked out a compromise that watch TV  from a proper distance.But what is proper distance itself is debatable.

Common question concerned parents ask for their growing kids , "What is the best distance to watch TV from". Well, the answer is simple, from a distance where they you don't have to strain your eyes to read the text running on TV.Yes there are few precautions which need to be taken care of ,like the room should not be dark and be well lit.But it should not be too brightly lit either ,as glare tires the eyes.Besides kids are advised to move the eyes away from screen after every 20 minutes.Watching for entertainment sake is fine but it should not become an addiction.After all it is an idiot box and ends up making children inactive only.
If the kid complains of strain in the eyes ,ask the kid to take a break from watching TV,close eyes for a while and after that go and take a walk.
In the past we just had TV but in the new age we have other electronic devices too which have almost become part of the life.We can't keep them away from these but always  teach how to use these responsibly.

Electronic devices may cause Computer Vision Syndrome

Electronic devices have surrounded us.Even if we wish,we can't escape their grip.Specially corporate executive literally spends his life in front of his laptop/desktop.Obviously with their extended usage eyes get affected.There is disorder known as Computer Vision Syndrome (CVS) which corporate executives.In this eye discomfort and complex vision problems arise. It can result in headaches, blurred or double vision, burning or tired eyes, dry eyes, eye strains, loss of focus and neck and shoulder pain. These symptoms are caused by poor lighting conditions, glare on the computer screen, improper viewing distances, poor seating posture, uncorrected vision problems and many a times, a combination of all these factors.

Regular eye examinations and proper viewing habits can help prevent or reduce development of the symptoms associated with Computer Vision Syndrome.‪

Adjusting the display settings of your computer can also help in reducing eye strain and fatigue. Keep your computer at a distance of 20-26 inches away from your eyes. Also, make sure that the centre of your monitor should be 4-9 inches below the eye level. Adjust the brightness and contrast of the display, so that it is approximately the same as the brightness of your surrounding workstation. Adjust the text size and contrast for comfort, especially when reading or composing long documents. Usually, black print on a white background is the best combination for comfortable reading. Reducing the color temperature of your display can also be of great help as it lowers the amount of blue light emitted by a color display for better long-term viewing comfort.

While working on a desktop, make sure that the keyboard and the mouse are located below the elbow level. One may also use keyboard extension board for a more comfortable typing experience. Also, the wrist should not bend while typing.

Our posture too plays an important role in avoiding the condition called Computer Vision Syndrome. While sitting on the chair, your feet should be firmly chaired to the ground and your knees should be at a right angle (90 degrees) or more. Keep your back straight and shoulders at the back and your arms should be parallel to the floor while typing

Another cause of computer eye strain is focusing fatigue. To reduce the risk of tiring your eyes, look away from your computer at least every 20 minutes and gaze at a distant object (at least 20 feet away) for minimum 20 seconds. Eye doctors call this routine the 20-20-20 rule. Another exercise is to look far away at an object for 10-15 seconds, then gaze at something up close for 10-15 seconds. Then again look back at the distant object. Do this 10 times.

Dengue fever can cause Opthalmic complications too

Towards end of August or beginning of September,there is huge spike in Dengue cases.What has come to light recently is that Dengue fever leads to blurry vision.In some cases it is found to have been cause for Uveitis.In case a Dengue patient experiences blurry vision,they should not delay seeing an eye specialist.
Researchers have come to conclusion that those who suffer from acute Dengue infection run the risk of eye complications.Out of these Uveitis is one major eye disease which people having dengue fever have been found to be suffering from. The reason for eye problems has not been established so far,and further research is on.However it is felt that Dengue attacks the immune system which leads to this complication.
It is felt leakage in blood vessels might be the reason that immune system gets affected.
However there is no final word yet on it ,all one can say at this stage is that Dengue fever can cause eye complications and one should be aware of it.

Presbyopia and its treatment

Not many people have heard of an eye disorder by the name of Presbyopia.It occurs around 40, when people experience blurred near vision while reading, sewing or working at the computer. It is a normal process that happens slowly over a lifetime, but you may not notice any change until after age 40. It is often corrected with reading glasses. Bifocal glasses permit the wearer to see objects clearly, both near and distant.



You can't escape presbyopia, even if you've never had a vision problem before. Even people who are nearsighted will notice that their near vision blurs when they wear their usual eyeglasses or contact lenses to correct distance vision.

When people develop presbyopia, they find they need to hold books, magazines, newspapers, menus and other reading materials at arm's length in order to focus properly. When they perform near work, such as embroidery or handwriting, they may develop headaches, eye strain or feel fatigued.

Presbyopes also can opt for multifocal contact lenses, available in gas permeable or soft lens materials. Another type of contact lens correction for presbyopia is monovision, in which one eye wears a distance prescription, and the other wears a prescription for near vision.
 

Ways to have healthy eye sight

We wish for good eye sight and as far as possible avoid Spectacles.Is it possible,yes,to a very large extent.But for that what we need to do is to to alter our life style.Spend not more than necessary time in front of electronic devices,do some physical exercises on a daily basis and avoid junk food in our diet completely.
If we follow the above written things,we can definitely avoid wearing spectacles and remain healthy.
But somehow most of us will not be able to practice this in real life and as a result we all know we need spectacles.But why this allergy to spectacles,weak eye sight is not a disorder(unless eye sight is too weak and that too at a young age).Avoiding wearing spectacles when you need one is a worse case scenario and must be avoided.And if you are particular,you can always wear lens or go for a lasik surgery.
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Prevention and treatment for Conjuctivitis

Conjuctivitis becomes so common during monsoon days.But to a very large extent it can be avoided.If we observe simple things like washing eyes after coming home in the night,not touching eyes with dirty hands, avoid sharing personal things like towels,handkerchief and other items of personal nature.We need to remember infection spreads through touch of commonly used items and that needs to be avoided.Avoid old stale food,food from any such place whose hygiene is susceptible,should be avoided at all costs.Avoid areas where water has collected.Wearing sun glasses can also help.
Now what if despite all the precautions,person falls sick.Firstly he should ask others not to touch him and use his personal belongings.Secondly he should wash his eyes gently with water and above all ,go to a Doctor.Avoid self medications or taking medicine on Chemists advise.This can be pretty dangerous and can have serious consequences.

Don't overlook signs of weak eyesight

Health problem never run away. And a person himself is the best judge for himself. The first person who realizes slight difficulty in reading is the individual himself. This is more pronounced in the age group of 40 and onwards (one can safely assume 30’s and onwards for today’s age) You have difficulty in reading and try to hold the copy little far or closer to eyes. Now this is a clear signal that your eyesight is turning bit weak and you need lens or spectacles. But lot of people despite this first stage, refuse to go to doctor and don’t get examined. This is a big mistake and by the time they go, their eyesight has turned much weaker. And that could have been avoided had they gone and checked with the Doctor at the first stage itself.

Following are the symptoms of weak eyesight-

• Irritated eyes.
• Difficulty in focusing.
• Dry or watery eyes.
• Blurred or double vision.
• Increased sensitivity to light.
• Pain in the neck, shoulders, or back.
• Headache
  

Simple ways to treat the weak eyesight-

While you are constantly working on computer and watching TV, people do not blink eyes which can cause dryness and eyestrain. So, one should take a break and blink eyes for 3-4 seconds for a 2 minute period, this can help to re-lubricate the eyes and reduce eyestrain.

Try alternate focusing in near and far objects every few seconds for 3 minutes.

Focus on your hand while you move it towards your face this will help in making eyesight sharp as you focus on moving objects.

Smart phones can be hazardous for eyes

Youngsters are so obsessed with smartphones these days that they end up spending long time on these devices.But most of them don't know how damaging it can be for their eye sight.Eyes fixed with screen thrust very close,its magnifying image does affect the eyes and as a result lot of them get to wear spectacles at a very young age.
Earlier there were only TV,then came computers and non we have hand held devices.Nobody denies there utility but excessive use/frivolous use needs to be avoided.

Does fluid builds up in the front part of your eye? It can be Glaucoma

Glaucoma is one of the diseases of the eye that damages the eye's optic nerve. It usually happens when fluid builds up in the front part of the eye and this extra fluid which builds up in the front part of the eye, increases the pressure in the eye, damaging the optic nerve.

The optic nerve is connected to the retina — a layer of light-sensitive tissue lining the inside of the eye — and is made up of many nerve fibers, like an electric cable is made up of many wires. The optic nerve sends signals from retina to the brain, where these signals are interpreted as the images we see.

In the healthy eye, a clear fluid called aqueous humor circulates inside the front portion of the eye. To maintain a constant healthy eye pressure, eye continually produces a small amount of aqueous humor while an equal amount of this fluid flows out of the eye. If a person is suffering from glaucoma, the aqueous humor does not flow out of the eye properly. Fluid pressure in the eye builds up and, over time, causes damage to the optic nerve fibers.

Glaucoma can often be caused by another eye condition or disease. It can be caused due to eye injury, inflammation of the eye, abnormal blood vessel formation from diabetes or retinal blood vessel blockage, use of steroid-containing medications.

There are several types of glaucoma like

• Open-angle glaucoma
• Normal-tension glaucoma
• Angle-closure glaucoma (also called "closed-angle glaucoma" or "narrow-angle glaucoma")
• Congenital glaucoma
• Secondary glaucoma
• Glaucoma suspect

But the most common type of glaucoma is open-angled glaucoma while congenital glaucoma is a rare type of glaucoma that develops in infants and young children. It can be hereditary, and it happens when the eye’s drainage system doesn’t develop fully or correctly before birth.

Symptoms of an acute attack include:

• Vision is suddenly blurry
• Severe eye pain
• Headache
• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Rainbow-colored rings or halos around lights.

Glaucoma can be treated with eye drops, pills, laser surgery, traditional surgery or a combination of these methods. The goal of any treatment is to prevent loss of vision, as vision loss from glaucoma is irreversible.

Having differently sized pupils in the eyes: Anisocoria is the cause

Eyes are blessings of God to human beings, to see the most alluring things of the world. The various parts in an eye like- pupil, retina, iris helps us in seeing different and beautiful objects. The pupil is the black circle in the center of the eye which determines the amount of light that enters the eye. The pupils of the eyes are usually the same size but, if, in case they are of different sizes then you might be having Anisocoria.

Anisocoria is a condition where the pupil of one eye differs in size from the pupil of the other eye. It usually has no effect on the overall health of the eyes. It is a common condition, with as many as one in five people having some degree of difference in the size of their pupils. 

However, anisocoria can also be a symptom of a serious eye disorder, including third nerve cranial nerve palsy and Horner’s syndrome. Both are nervous system disorders that can occur when nerves that travel to the eye are damaged by a stroke, tumor or trauma. Anisocoria can also result from a viral infection, syphilis, surgical damage, and or another condition affecting the pupil called Adie’s tonic pupil.

It can be caused due to many reasons like- skull fractures, brain tumor, eye emergencies of any kind, shaken baby syndrome, glaucoma, low blood sugar.

However, if you have anisocoria  then you will generally have symptoms related to that disorder. This eye disorder symptoms may include:

• Drooping eyelid
• Reduced eye movement
• Eye pain
• Fever
• Headache
• Reduced sweating

Anisocoria doesn’t affect the eyesight or the health of the eyes, so there is no need for treatment. If anisocoria is related to another eye disorder, treatment will depend on the cause.