On a step towards creating Eye Care Awareness!

The number of cancer patients in India is increasing day by day, but hardly people know about Cancer of the Eye. 

Eye Cancer generally affects the outer surface of the eye, i.e. eyelid. But in some cases, the cancer can also affect the eyeball, which can cause Intraocular Cancer. 

Melanoma and Lymphoma are the types of Intraocular Cancer which is found in adults. In children, the cancer mostly affects the retinal cells, a disease also known as Retinoblastoma. 

Retinal Detachment: Causes, symptom and treatment

Our eyes are that organ of our body that makes us see all the beauty surrounding us. Inside our eyes, lies a thin layer of tissue called retina on which light rays are focused forming the image. Retina converts light into signals and send these signals to the brain, so that an image is formed in front of the eye. 

 

Retina plays a very important role in our vision. Any minor or major damage to the retina can be really serious and calls for immediate medical attention. Failure to do so, might lead to loss of vision or permanent blindness. 

Retinal detachment is a condition in which the retina detaches or peels away from the back wall of the eye. This leads to reduction of blood supply along with source of nutrition to the retina, resulting in degeneration. Retina if remains detached can cause permanent vision loss. 

If someone observes flashes of light in their vision accompanied by floaters (thread like moving strands in the vision) and darkened side vision, don't delay visiting a retina specialist as these are the primary symptoms of retinal detachment.

There are three main types retinal detachment. First and the most common type is retinal break or tear. In this, liquid present in the centre of the eye called vitreous, passes through the retinal tear making the retina lift off from its position. In medical terms it is called Rhegmatogenous retinal detachment.

The second most common type is exudative retinal detachment. This happens due to leakage of fluid (exudates) from the retina. Tumors and inflammatory disorders of the eye cause exudative retinal detachment.

Traction retinal detachment is the third kind of retinal detachment. Proliferative Diabetic Retinopathy (PDR) causes traction retinal detachment. In this, the retina gets pulled from the vascular tissue in the vitreous cavity.

People who are short/near sighted are at the risk of developing retinal detachment. Anyone who had an eye injury in the past, or had undergone a complicated cataract surgery is more prone to retinal detachment. Besides, those with a family history of retinal detachment are at increased risk of developing this disorder.

A surgery for reattaching the retina is the most successful way to treat retinal detachment. Depending upon the characteristic and age of the patient, appropriate technique is adopted for the treatment. There are basically 3 ways to treat retinal detachment. 

The oldest and most common technique to treat retinal detachment is scleral buckle. It is used for patients suffering from rhegmatogenous retinal detachments in which there are no major complications. In this the buckle (a silicone sponge or solid silicone) is sewn onto the outer wall of the eyeball to close the retinal break or tear. A person can get back to home on the same day of the surgery, and resume their daily chores in a few days time.

Vitrectomy is another technique used generally for those patients suffering from traction retinal detachments caused by diabetes. But, this treatment can also be used for patients with rhegmatogenous detachments, especially if they are associated with vitreous traction or vitreous hemorrhage.

For those having a single tear rhegmatogenous detachment,a Pneumatic retinopexy can be a good option. In this, a gas bubble is injected in the vitreous cavity (middle part of the eye) and is positioned in a way that it covers the retinal break.

Depending upon the reason behind retinal detachment,a retina specialist can advice you on the type of procedure to be used for the treatment. 

Post the surgery, a patient might feel tired for the first 2-3 weeks. Also, it is advised that person should not drive or fly while the gas bubble is still there in the eye. Many a times, a person may feel uncomfortable or scratchy in the eye during the first few days. Strenuous activities should be best avoided till the time your eye is completely healed. Post the healing, one can get back to their normal course of work and can lead a normal life.

There is a possibility that if you have retinal detachment in one eye then you might develop it in the other eye as well. After careful examination, if any weak area vulnerable to develop break is discovered, a laser treatment can be performed by the doctor to strengthen the retina. 

A retinal detachment in most cases can be prevented with regular eye examination. If you notice any changes in your vision, don’t ignore and get yourself checked. If you have diabetes, it becomes even more important to have eye examination once a year. Also, those having near vision problem should ideally get their eyes checked on a regular basis.

If you suffer from diabetes or hypertension, it is advised to keep their levels under control so that no added pressure falls on the retinal blood vessels. While performing outdoor activities like swimming, scuba diving, snowboarding etc. make sure you wear protective glasses. Eye protection is also required for those whose work involves usage of chemicals or artificial UV lights.

Keep your Eyes Irritation-free this season, with some easy tips

A very common ‪eye problem‬ observed these days is ‪Eye Irritation‬. One of the major reason behind this is dryness in the atmosphere. The dry air makes the eyes lose its ‪moisture‬ causing irritation in the ‪eyes‬. The best way out is to drink plenty of water to keep your body hydrated. Besides, while going out make sure that you wear ‪sunglasses‬.

Also, wash your eyes immediately after reaching home with water. This will help in retaining the lost moisture and make your eyes ‪relax‬. You can also put few slices of cucumber on your eyes in order to relax them.

Ways to protect your eyes in the changing weather

The weather is changing with strong winds blowing. These strong winds bring dust particle with them. This can be potentially risky for our eyes as the dust has fine particles that can enter the eyes and can cause eye infection or even Corneal Abrasion in some case. The best protection against this is wearing good quality sunglasses while being out. Especially those who drive two wheelers need to be careful as they don’t have the protection of the windscreen. In case dust goes in the eyes, wash your eyes with clean water and if irritation persists, then don’t delay seeing a specialist.

 

Amblyopia (Lazy Eye), an Eyesight Disorder

Amblyopia, popularly known as lazy eye is an eyesight disorder. Here, the brain stops receiving visual signals from an eye. This always affects only one eye, but may affect vision in both the eyes. Although, there’s no specific cause of lazy eye, but detecting this condition in early childhood increases the chances of treatment. If left untreated, vision impairment becomes permanent and no contact lenses or glasses can correct it on later stage.

Play Holi with Care!

Festival of colors Holi is around. People are unaware of the harm that colors especially, the synthetic ones can have on eyes. Therefore, one needs to protect their eyes as they are very sensitive and any negligence can be risky for the vision. Enclosed below is an article of mine suggesting few simple tips which can be followed to prevent eye injuries while playing Holi.

 

Have a Happy & Safe Holi

Indians celebrate Holi by wishing their elders with a tilak on their forehead. Usually, gulaal is used for tilak but in order to make these colors more vibrant and shiny, crushed glass or a glossy metal is often mixed in Gulaal which can lead to major eye injuries, especially when applied on forehead. To add joy to the festivity, people smear colors on the faces of their dear ones. The adulteration is not just restricted to Gulaal but also with other colors popular among children like water colors, grease etc. So, it is advised to play carefully and try using organic or natural colors. Also, if possible wear sunglasses in order to avoid these colors to enter the eye.

Eye care during Holi

Traditionally, Holi colors were made of organic herbs and flowers. These fragrant natural colors had therapeutic value and were beneficial for your skin and health. But, with the advancement of time and high demand of colors, making and selling synthetic colors have become a business these days. These synthetic colors are high in chemicals and most of them are dyes, used for dyeing textiles. Not just for skin, these colors are a nightmare for your eyes. Considering all these factors we don’t wish to use these colors but we can’t even miss the festivity this occasion brings to us. So, it is really important to take care of our eyes while celebrating. The most basic way of protecting your eyes is to keep eyes shut when someone smears color over your face or pour colored water on you. Also, apply thick layers of cold cream around your eyes so that it can be easily removed without struggling or rubbing the area around the eye harshly.

Keep your Eyes Safe this Holi

As Holi is near, there’s a splash of colors everywhere.  But while celebrating this festival,  make sure that the colors whether powder or sprays used in Holi, do not get into your eyes as these colors have a high chemical content. Our eyes are really sensitive and such strong chemicals can cause irritation and redness. So, be protective about your eyes and if unfortunately colors enter your eyes, wash them thoroughly with cold water.  However, if there is intense pain or burning sensation, one must visit an eye specialist. The granular particles present in bright colors are very harmful for your vision and can damage the cornea which can lead to corneal abrasion.

Avoid playing with water balloons this Holi for your Eyes' safety

Holi‬ is round the corner and with the festivities at its full swing, one needs to be a little careful amidst the celebrations. Parents must make sure that their children avoid the use of water balloons as much as possible, since it is often seen that most ‪Eye Injuries‬ are caused when water balloons hits the face/eye. Observe precautions and ensure safety of your loved ones as well as of the others.

Understanding Eye Floaters

Most ‪Eye floaters‬ are caused by age related changes in vitreous humor (a jelly like substance present inside the eye ball). Generally, floaters don’t require any specific treatment as they don’t necessarily harm your vision. But, if it troubles your vision more frequently and begins to impair your ‪‎vision‬ than you’re your doctor’s recommendation you can opt for ‪laser treatment‬ to remove the debris from vitreous.

What are Eye Floaters?

Eye floaters are tiny thread-like spots that float across your field of  vision. These can appear in black or grey strings or specks in the form of lines, dots, blobs or cobwebs which drift aimlessly along with your vision. One generally notices floaters, while gazing at a plain surface, overcast sky or a computer screen with a light colored background. However, they do not cause any harm to your eyes but can indicate a few serious eye problems like nearsightedness, retinal problems, etc. In case you experience floaters in your vision, get yourself checked by a retinal specialist.

An Intruder in your Eyes can harm your vision adversely

Your eyes are sensitive and any flying foreign object has the potential to harm it. A foreign object can be dust particles or grit or very small substances that can come in contact with your eyes like cosmetics, metal particles, etc. Even though eyelashes play a very crucial role here to get these particles out but when these sticks to your eyelashes,  they  can further affect the cornea or the conjunctiva. Most often, it results in corneal abrasion (a scratch on the cornea). Also, it can make your eye itchy or bloodshot. So, the best way to prevent this is to wear appropriate glasses while riding a bike, at construction sites or while playing outdoors. And, if it’s already there, then rubbing your eyes is a strict NO! Wash your eyes thoroughly with cold water, but if it doesn’t come out or embedded itself in the lower surface of the eye, then go see a doctor immediately.

What is Retinal Detachment?

Retinal Detachment is an eye disorder in which the retina is being peeled away from its underlying tissue. In the beginning, it may be a partial detachment, but if not treated immediately, then the entire retina might get detach which will ultimately cause blindness. This condition arises due to exceptionally thin or damaged retina where the fluid gets in and pushes the retina away from its supportive tissue. Generally, surgery is required to treat retinal detachment, but in minor cases, a simple procedure can be done at your doctor’s clinic (if detected early).