Dr. Tejas D. Shah

Do you know that every little activity that you perform on a daily basis impacts your body? What you eat, how long you sleep and even every tear you shed affects your body. Most people are aware of how their body reacts to major activities, like exercising, but few are aware of how the body reacts when they cry.

While you are generally concerned with the mental cause and effect of crying, have you thought about what crying does to you physically? Tears are not always shed when a person is upset. Tears are a body's way of expressing itself as well as protecting itself. Everything from a happy ending in a movie to a dust particle in the eye can make you tear up.

There are essentially three kinds of tears. Basal tears and reflective tears help keep the eyes lubricated and irritant free respectively. It is the psych tears, which we commonly refer to as crying, that come as emotional responses.

Crying might be a sign of emotional stress and pain but if you are wondering how it harms your body, the answer is that it does not. Crying does not harm one's body physically. In fact it does better than harm to your body, purely physically speaking. Here's how-

• When you cry, your tears help your eyes remain clear.
• It also has anti-bacterial properties that keep your eyes clean.
• Your eyes remain properly hydrated thus reducing any kind of irritation. You might feel dehydrated after a while due to the loss of water and salt.
• Even the excess manganese in your body gets washed out through tears.

But for some, the act of crying can cause medical complications. It can lead to fits or can cause an acute shortness of breath. For those with severe heart conditions, there can be a cardiac pain. Crying can take a toll on your body if you have certain medical conditions. For most people crying does more good for their body than harm.

An important organ of the body, eyes must never be taken for granted and need to be protected at all times. In addition to protecting them, you also need to improve as well as maintain their overall health.

Here are some of the ways of keeping your vision in top form:

1. Eat for good eye vision

To have healthy eyes and consequently good vision, you need to have foods that keep them in good health. Nutrients like Zinc, Vitamins C and E and Omega-3 fatty acids can help to fend off age-related sight problems such as cataracts or macular degeneration (a condition characterized by the deterioration of the middle portion of the retina). Foods like eggs, nuts, green leafy vegetables, oranges and citrus fruits are what you need to have to get good eye health.  

2. Kick the smoke habit

Smoking can adversely affect your eye health and can make you prone to eye conditions like cataracts, macular degeneration and damage of optic nerve (a nerve that transmits impulses from the eyes to the brain). By kicking this habit, you end up saving your eyes from irreversible damage.

3. Use sunglasses

Exposure to the sun’s ultraviolet rays for a long period of time can make you prone to common eye problems including cataracts. To protect them from the sun’s harmful rays, you need to use sunglasses that block 99-100% of ultraviolet A (UVA) and ultraviolet B (UVB) rays.

4. Go for a regular eye checkup

Going for regular eye examinations can help in protecting your vision and ensure you see clearly. Eye examinations are important to help you find eye problems like glaucoma (a condition wherein the optic nerve is damaged, resulting in vision loss). A comprehensive eye examination can help in identifying problems like nearsightedness, farsightedness or astigmatism (an eye defect that occurs to a deviated spherical curvature). If you wish to discuss about any specific problem, you can consult an Ophthalmologist.

Good eyesight can be an outcome of a diet rich in Omega 3 fatty acids and vitamin C. Including certain foods in your diet can be directly beneficial for your eye health and can improve your vision. Here is a list of 5 foods which will help you combat age-related vision problems and will supplement your overall eye health.

1. Eggs - Eggs are rich in vitamin A and lutein, which help you combat age-related vision problems and night blindness. Eggs are also beneficial for dry eyes and improving your eye health. Egg yolks are considered to be one of the best foods for your eyes and should be included in your regular diet. It also helps prevent age-related macular degeneration (AMD), which is one of the primary causes of blindness in the 60+ age group.

2. Leafy Greens - Leafy green vegetables like spinach and kale are rich in lutein and zeaxanthin which reduce the chance of cataracts. It is best to consume them raw as they have more antioxidants when uncooked. Other green vegetables like broccoli, collard greens, and zucchini are rich in lutein and play an important part in preventing age-related vision problems.

3. Carrots - Carrots improve your overall eye health as it contains vitamin A, the lack of which is one of the leading causes of loss of vision. The orange hue in carrots is due to Beta-carotene which helps the retina function better. Other foods rich in beta carotene are apricots, mangoes, pumpkin and cantaloupe which also contribute to healthy eyes. So make sure you include them in your diet.

4. Almonds - Almonds are rich in vitamin E, which prevents macular degeneration. Include a handful in your daily diet as it not only improves your eyesight but also effectively lowers cholesterol and prevents heart diseases. Nuts like pistachios and walnuts contain omega 3 fatty acids which contribute to the maintenance of your vision.

5. Citrus Fruits and Berries - Citrus fruits like oranges, grapefruits and lemons are rich vitamin C which reduces the risk macular degeneration and cataracts. Blueberries also aid in the protection of the retina from damage caused due to sunlight and oxygen. If you wish to discuss about any specific problem, you can consult an Ophthalmologist.

Your eyes are one of the most important parts of your body. They are delicate and essential. But, there are instances of it getting injured. Corneal abrasion or scratched eye is one of the most common injuries related to the eye. It causes discomfort to the eyes. It also leads to reddening of the eye and makes it hypersensitive to light. Corneal abrasions are caused due to loss of corneal cell in the upper region of the cornea. The top or upper layer is known as corneal epithelium.

Cornea is the front part of the eye. It’s task is to help in focusing of light and enables us to see objects. A good and healthy cornea is needed and a must for having good eyesight. Thus, it is always advisable to visit an ophthalmologist immediately after you notice a corneal abrasion or meet with an accident that has led to corneal injury.

What Are The Factor That Causes Corneal Abrasions?

There are a number of ways that can result in corneal abrasion. It should be kept in mind that anything that comes in direct contact with the eye can lead to corneal injury. It is a painful scratch on the clear part of the eye or cornea.countless ways to get a corneal abrasion. Objects ranging from tree branches, paper, make up tools, finger, pet, debris in the workplace to sports toll, anything can cause an injury to the eye.

Most of the corneal abrasions are n’t caused due to traumatic incidents that are noticeable. Your cornea might get affected by sand, dust and any other tiny object. The chance of corneal abrasion increases with dry eyes. The problem gets worse at the time of waking up from sleep. If your eyes are dry, it will get hurt as the lids can tear and dislodge a part of the cornea. It is a myth that contact lenses protect your eyes. They can also be the cause behind corneal abrasion.

Symptoms Of Scratched Cornea:

It is important to know that the cornea is one of the most sensitive parts of our body. Any injury in the cornea can be really painful. Other symptoms may include redness, tearing, headache, blurry vision, etc.

Treatments For Corneal Abrasion:

The treatment depends upon the severity of the injury. Minor injuries can be cured with the help of non-preserved lubricating drops. It fastens the natural healing process. These are also treated with the use of antibiotic drops. The healing may take some two to three days times.

Treatment for a corneal abrasion depends on the severity of the wound and the cause. Minor abrasions sometimes can be treated with non-preserved lubricating drops to keep your eye moist and comfortable while your eye's natural healing process takes place. In critical cases, an antibiotic ointment might be asked to use for a longer period. If you wish to discuss about any specific problem, you can consult an Ophthalmologist.

The diabetic eye is considered to be the leading cause of the blindness among the working age. It is usually caused by the change in the blood vessels on the retina of the eye. Retina is that layer of the eye which is light sensitive. In case of diabetic macular oedema, the blood vessels cause the fluid to leak into the retina.

How does diabetic macular oedema cause vision loss:
The loss of vision only occurs when the fluid reaches the macula. Macula is the center of the retina which is responsible for a sharp vision. When the fluid reaches the macula it builds up and causes inflammation. Initially this is not noticed but with time the diabetic macular oedema causes a change in the vision making it more blurred. A healthy macula is very essential for a good vision.

Who is at risk of diabetic macular oedema:
People with type 1 and type 2 diabetes are at a higher risk of getting diabetic macular oedema. Also other risk factors are:

1. About 0ne in three people with diabetes develop macular oedema
2. Poor control of blood sugars
3. High blood pressure
4. High cholesterol level
5. Pregnancy
6. In smokers

How to reduce the risks of diabetic macula oedema:
The risk of diabetic macula oedema can be reduced by quitting smoking, and to make sure that blood sugar and cholesterol levels are under control. This is achieved by regularly measuring the cholesterol and blood sugar levels.

How is diabetic macular oedema detected:
Diabetic macular oedema can be detected during regular visits to the doctor. Patients with diabetes should be offered screening tests. Digital photographs of the patients can be taken as they show the early signs of diabetic macular oedema, though changes in vision might not be noticed at this time.

What happens when you attend the medical retina clinic:
When you go for an eye checkup you will undergo a comprehensive examination which includes:

1. Visual acuity test: This is a sight test which measures how well you can see the different distances
2. Eye pressure test: This test is done to measure the pressure of the eyes and usually drops which numb the eyes are used when this test is conducted
3. Dilated eye examination: In this the drops are placed in the eye to dilate the pupils and then the back of the eye is examined.
4. Fluorescein angiography: This is a diagnostic test in which an injection of fluorescein dye is given in the hand and then the photographs are taken.
5. Optical coherence tomography: This is done to measure the retinal swelling

If you wish to discuss any specific problem, you can consult an ophthalmologist.

As we age we get wiser for our experiences and knowledge, but it is also an accepted fact that our body and organ system get much weaker and there may be little that we can do about it. As we hit the middle ages, we start to experience problems such as wrinkles or greying of hair and general fatigue and tiredness after a short amount of activity. However, the real trouble starts when major system dysfunctions, such as the eyes and the vision.

Simple things like reading a book or a newspaper may become major tasks and it may be time to realise that we may be suffering from presbyopia. Presbyopia is commonly known as farsightedness and this is a problem in which patients find it difficult to see objects clearly when they are too close to the eyes.

How it affects the eyes:
It is a common knowledge that the vision system works with the help of natural lenses and its focal point. When the focal point of vision falls on the lenses, you may be able to experience perfect vision, but when it starts to move slightly off the point you may experience problems in viewing regular things such as printed or written words or even the things on your phone or computer.

Experiencing blurred vision when you try to view closer objects occurs because the elasticity of the lens of the eyes changes and the focal length of the lens changes with it. However, there are a lot of treatment alternatives for the problem and people do not have to start feeling old just because they experience difficulty in vision.

Treatments:
The more conventional treatments for presbyopia include the use of glasses with a power of lens that help in correcting the vision and reading may become a favoured activity again. For those who find the use of glasses to be a hindrance in regular life may also opt for contact lens, which may be a more comfortable alternative for those who may not want to make their problem obvious to the world. In a lot of cases, the people who suffer from the problem of far-sightedness may also choose to undergo surgery for the problem so that it can be corrected completely and no other measures may have to be taken.

Health issues may be a regular occurrence as you advance in age and you may have to find alternatives and treatments that help ease out the situation, but it is most imperative to make sure that you take the best advice from a qualified and certified doctor so that you problem may be diagnosed correctly and you may be able to get treatment suggestions that may cater to your specific body and ailment needs. If you wish to discuss about any specific problem, you can consult an Ophthalmologist.

Vision is one of our most important senses. Reduced vision that triggers the need for corrective glasses is one of the most common disorders associated with the eyes. Crossed eyes are another such common disorder that affects the eyes. In medical terms it is also known as Strabismus. This condition is a result of miscommunication between the brain and the eye muscles that result in misalignment of the eyes. It is largely a hereditary condition and should not be confused with a lazy eye syndrome.

Crossed eyes can cause double vision and disorientation. Your depth perception may also be affected. It also causes eye strains and headaches that affect the quality of your life. This condition is seen mostly in children. If not treated in time, it can continue into the adult years as well. The development of crossed eyes in adults who have not suffered from this condition as children is usually a sign of a serious condition such as a stroke.

Some symptoms characteristic of this condition are:

1. Independent movement of eye balls
2. Tilting the head to a side
3. Squinting
4. Varied points of reflection in each eye
5. Frequently bumping into things as a result of impaired depth perception.

Treatment for this condition can be surgical as well as non surgical. Non surgical treatment aims at strengthening the eye muscles and treating the visual system as a whole. The aim is to not allow the eye to become lazy or amblyopic. Wearing an eye patch over the strong eye and forcing the weak eye to be used is one of the most common form of this treatment. Corrective glasses can also be used to treat this condition in cases where it has been triggered by excessive farsightedness. In some cases, medication may also be injected into the eye to relax the eye muscles.

Surgery to correct this disorder involves correcting vision by strengthening or weakening the eye muscles. To do this, a surgeon must first make a small incision in the outer layer of the eyeball to reach the affected muscles. To strengthen the muscle a small section is removed from the muscle and the remaining part is then rejoined. This makes the muscle shorter and forces the eye to turn towards that side. Alternatively, the doctor may make a partial cut across the muscle to elongate it and let the eye turn further away from it. If you wish to discuss about any specific problem, you can consult an Ophthalmologist.

Eyes are the most important part of our lives. There are various branches of medicine, which treat different aspects of the eye. Chief among them are: 

1. Ophthalmology
2. Optometry

Ophthalmology deals with the structure, physiology and diseases of the eye. On the other hand, optometry is a vision care science, which involves the treatment and rectification of the visual system. Specialists emerging from these two schools of medicines are called Ophthalmologists and optometrists respectively. Though, they both deal with the corrective measures and examination of healthy eyes, there are crucial differences between them.

Some of those differences are listed below:

1. Meaning: A specialist in surgical and medical eye problems, who performs operations in the eye is called an Ophthalmologist. On the other hand, an Optometrist is a specialist who has a degree in Doctor of Optometry (OD). He is not a doctor but a trained individual.   
2. Area of Specialization: Both these specialists have different areas of specialization. An Ophthalmologist specializes in only vision and eye care. He/she has the necessary training to perform operations on the eye. On the other hand, an Optometrist is not a doctor, but a specialist who is involved in diagnosis, management and treatment of vision changes. He/she has the license to perform eye exams and tests and can prescribe corrective lenses.
3. Training: Both the specialists differ vastly in their training. An Ophthalmologist is trained to treat all eye problems and is equipped to perform operations. He/she undergoes four years of medical school and one year of internship in any hospital. Optometrists on the other hand, after three or more years in college have to undergo four years of training before receiving a doctor of Optometrist. (OD). If you wish to discuss about any specific problem, you can consult an Ophthalmologist.

We all have only a pair of eyes, so it is imperative that one understands the importance of vision. When the normally clear lens of one’s eye becomes clouded, the condition is known as cataract. A person suffering from cataract finds his vision to be hazy, discoloured and blurred somewhat like looking outside a frosted window. It causes difficulty in reading, driving a vehicle or seeing the familiar expression on a loved one’s face.
It is a silent killer of vision and initially magnification and lighting in addition to vision aids are helpful, but eventually a surgery becomes imminent. 

The exact reason for cataract are debatable, but one can take measures to protect oneself, boost one’s eyes’ defence mechanisms, and protect them from harmful elements. Ultra violet (UV) light has been correlated with incidents of cataract and has a damaging effect on one’s eyes. This requires one to wear sunglasses that block ultraviolet B (UVB) rays when one is outdoors. Smoking also increases the risk of cataract thus giving one another reason to stay away from active as well as passive smoking.

One must include antioxidants as zeaxanthin, vitamin C, lutein and vitamin A in daily diet to counteract with the daily damage. The addition of a variety of fruits and vegetables to one’s diet ensures that one is getting many vitamins and nutrients. The health of the eyes can be maintained with fruits and vegetables as they have many antioxidants. One must go for eye examination to ophthalmologists in a time bound and regular manner so to detect the onset of cataract at the earliest.

One must maintain a healthy weight by reducing the calorie intake. Excessive consumption of alcohol also increases the risk of cataract. If one is suffering with other health conditions like hypertension and diabetes, it becomes all the more important that one must follow the treatment plan diligently. The exposure to ionizing radiation like X-rays and cancer treatment via chemotherapy increase the risk of cataract.

Cataract develops when aging or injury changes the tissue that makes up one’s eye's lens while some cataract are due to inherited genetic disorders causing other health problems. In some cases eye conditions, medical conditions such as diabetes, long term usage of steroids, trauma or past eye surgery also leads to cataracts.

As one ages, the eye lenses become less flexible, less transparent and thicker. Ageing causes break down and clumping together of tissues within the eye lens leading to clouding small areas within the lens. As the cataract continues to develop, the clouding becomes denser and involves a greater part of the lens. Thus, although one cannot prevent cataract, but if one takes the above mentioned steps, then he can reduce the risks of getting it. If you wish to discuss about any specific problem, you can consult an Ophthalmologist.

High blood pressure can lead to hypertension, which is known to cause a variety of debilitating side effects or symptoms in the life of the patient. It can also lead to a number of related ailments which can affect the various organs of the body. The eyes are one of the organs that are most susceptible to this kind of spike in the body’s blood pressure. Let us learn more about the connection between the two.

Retina: When high blood pressure goes untreated for a prolonged period, it can easily start to affect the blood vessels that can be found in the retina. The retina is the third or the inner most layer of the eye which is sensitive towards light and usually helps in refraction. This is where the light reaches so that one can focus clearly on an image. When the blood pressure of the patient stays high for a prolonged basis, there is significant pressure on the blood vessels in this part of the eye which can lead to an eye disease known as hypertensive retinopathy.

Symptoms: Symptoms of this eye disease include lack of clarity and focus when the eye comes to rest on an object, as well as headache and other vision problems that typically spring from eye strain that one will go through while trying to focus even harder. It may be seen that the symptoms do not appear in the very early stages of this disease.

Diagnosis: The diagnosis of the condition is usually done by an ophthalmologist who will use an ophthalmoscope in order to project light towards the specific part of the eye so that the back of the eyeballs can be examined. The signs that the doctor will look for during the examination include narrowing of the blood vessels in this part of the eye, inflammation of the macula which is the central portion of the retina, and bleeding in the back of the eye. Also, the doctor will check for spots in the retina with the help of cotton swabs and exudates.

Treatment: The best and only way of treating this condition is by keeping one’s blood pressure in control with the help of medication prescribed by the doctor.

Prevention: There are many ways of preventing the onset of this disease, including losing weight so that there is less pressure on the body. Also, one must stick to a healthy diet and exercise regularly after taking recommendations on the appropriate exercises from the doctor. Additionally, it is also important to see a doctor on a regular basis so that there is constant monitoring and regulation of the medicines and the blood pressure. If you wish to discuss about any specific problem, you can consult a Ophthalmologist.

Variety of contact lenses is used to correct refractive errors. Soft Contact (hydrogel) Lenses are most often used in various types of refractive errors but they have certain disadvantages. These lenses do not permit adequate Oxygen to pass through which is essential for health of cornea and hence they can be worn for limited hours, i.e 6 to 8 hours maximum and never while sleeping. The tear proteins get deposited on these lenses which limit their life to about a year. If worn for prolonged period or proper measures not taken to clean the lenses, cornea can get an ULCER which at times can result in permanent loss of vision. Disposable daily wear lenses provide safer alternative but the cost increases significantly. Since soft contact lenses are applied after cleaning with a solution which can be the cause of mild to severe allergic conjunctivitis which can become intolerable. Soft contact lenses are not ideal in eyes with high corneal astigmatism.

Merits of soft contact lenses are that they can be dispensed over the counter or purchased on line though it is not ideal. A correct curvature and power of a contact lens is determined by a contact lens specialist/ Ophthalmologist after measuring exact corneal curvature and using trial contact lens. Another merit is that these lenses can be accepted very easily since even on the first day they do not produce much of discomfort. These lenses can be worn off and on without any inconvenience. Recent introduction of Toric Contact Lenses have made them more acceptable in cases of moderate corneal astigmatism.

Breathing Contact Lenses:

These lenses are the one which permit significant amount of oxygen to pass through and hence can be worn for prolonged interval without any adverse effect on the cornea. These are of two types

1. Semisoft or Extended Wear RGP Contact Lenses: These lenses are made up of FP 92 which is a semi rigid soft plastic and is highly permeable to oxygen. These lenses are excellent for high refractive errors, especially in patients who have high corneal astigmatism. Even cases with irregular cornea or Keratoconus, these lenses can be accepted with rewarding results. These lenses can only be fitted by an expert Ophthalmologist since precise measurement has to be carried out and various trial lenses have to be tried to evaluate the optimum fit. The lenses are made to measurement and the patient has to be precisely trained to fit the lenses and maintain them. As stated, the lenses can be safely worn while sleeping and there is practically no danger of corneal toxicity or infection. These lenses may last for 4-5 years. One of the demerits of these lenses is that they take 5-6 days to adopt and the patient is advised to use them regularly. They are excellent alternative to LASIK surgery.
2. Silicon Hydrogel Contact Lenses: These are recent introduction of extended wear contact lenses with capacity to 'breathe' better than soft or hrdrogel contact lenses. Some of the recent Silicon Hydrogel Contact lenses introduced by Alcon and Bausch and Lomb can be worn for a week or so.

Silicon hydrogel lenses though indicated for prolonged wear but can cause mild keratitis and sometimes allergic keratitis if worn overnight. These lenses still needs lot of improvement to be free of complications

Advise: It is ideal to consult an Ophthalmologist specialized in contact lenses for fitting of a proper contact lenses. Advertised lenses some time misguide and can be damaging to the eye.

Eye Strain is an umbrella term that denotes a number of symptoms that relate to the extended use of eyes as well as discomfort that may come from excessive smartphone and computer use. This condition may or may not lead to significant eye damage and is usually characterised by blurry vision, headaches and a feeling of dryness in the eye as you blink less which creates less tears. This may happen due to the extended use of the eye when you are following objects on a screen or staring at a screen for too long. So, is eye strain the cause of your headaches?

Find out more in this article.

Causes: Eye Strain or Asthenopia is caused by concentrating on visually intense tasks like reading from texts that have a fine print, the use of computers and other screens for prolonged periods, and trying to focus on objects in the dark. This can lead to distress of the muscles in this area which can also cause eye strain leading to a variety of symptoms including double imagery and even headaches and mild migraine like conditions.

Eye Muscle Imbalance: When there is eye strain which leads to headaches, it can also give rise to eye muscle imbalance which makes it difficult to concentrate with both eyes at the same time. In such cases, one may need bifocal glasses so as to fix the issue and prevent such debilitating headaches to remain on a persistent basis.

Diagnosis: Digital eye fatigue and ocular eye strain leading to headaches can be diagnosed by a doctor with the help of regular eye examinations. In any case, one should have the eyes checked at least once a year. This is especially important if your job involves sitting in front of the computer screen for prolonged hours.

Symptoms: There are a variety of symptoms of these headaches that are caused by eye strain. Apart from blurry vision which does not allow the patient to see properly and clearly without glasses, it can also cause headaches with symptoms like nausea and sensitivity to light. Retinal or eye migraines do not necessarily have to come with headaches, but the pressure can be painful enough.

Treatment: To begin with, the best form of treatment for headaches born from eye strain includes prevention which can be done by getting plenty of rest and sleep even as we limit the hours spent in front of the screen. One can also lower the resolution of the screen and make it more ambient. Also, the screen should be placed at a considerable distance from the eyes. The doctor can also prescribe glasses and eye drops for better eye lubrication. If you wish to discuss about any specific problem, you can consult an Ophthalmologist.

Myopia is also known by the name of nearsightedness. It is one of the most common refractive disorders of the eye. Over the years, it has become more prevalent. According to a recent study conducted by the National Eye Institute (NEI), myopia has grown more prevalent from 25 percent in 1972 to around 40% percent in 2004 in United States.

The exact cause of the prevalence of this disorder in USA is not known. However, many doctors are of the opinion that eye fatigue due to overuse of computers can be the primary reason behind the spread of this disorder. It could also be affected by genetical links.

Myopia Symptoms And Signs:

It is time to take care of your eyes if you have difficulty in reading the sign boards on road or seeing objects from a distance. This could be a sign for myopia if you are able to see things clearly from a closer distance. There are several symptoms of myopia, including strain on eyes, headaches and squinting. If these signs don’t vanish after wearing lenses or spectacles, you must visit your ophthalmologist.

What are the factors that cause Myopia or Nearsightedness?

It occurs at a time when the eyeball of the patient is too long. The lens of the patient will be too long as compared to the focusing power of the cornea or the eye lens. This condition leads to the focusing of light rays at a point in front of the retina. The rays don’t focus directly on the retina’s surface. Myopia can also be caused if the lens of the eye is too curved. Myopia can also be caused due to a combination of factors. The problem may start from childhood. You are also at the risk of developing the problem if your parents have had the problem.

Myopia Treatment:

Myopia is not a rare disorder of the eye. People living with myopia have several options of its treatment. It can be rectified or corrected with the help of spectacles and contact lenses. It can also be corrected by refractive surgery. The kind of treatment to be chosen depends upon the degree of your myopia. You will be asked to wear lenses or spectacles for a prescribed amount of time, depending upon the degree of your disorder.

If you are suffering from myopia, the doctor will prescribe you to wear spectacles or lenses of a certain power that will be preceded by a minus (-) sign. If you wish to discuss about any specific problem, you can consult an Ophthalmologist.

Do your eyes get tired easily? Do they look sore or sandy? If yes, then it’s time to worry for your eyes now. There is every possibility that you might have developed a dry eye. It is a common disorder of the eyes that occurs due to aging. It causes discomfort as you end up feeling scratchy or gritty all the time. The eyes turn red and have a burning sensation and feel itchy. Things get worse when you tend to stress your eyes by spending extra hours in front of the computer or read texts. In fact, the discomfort increases as the blinking frequency of the eyes get reduced.

One may also develop blurred vision due to dry eyes. An individual feels as if there is some particle inside his or her eyes, but finds nothing. Though this condition doesn’t lead to very dangerous consequences, it is always a wise decision to seek medical help. The medical term for this condition is keratoconjunctivitis sicca. Once you develop dry eye, there is always a tendency to get it back again. But, the good news is that it can be treated to get some relief.

Causes
Dry eye is caused due to problems related to tear formation. When we blink our eyes, a film is formed over it. This thin layer is called a tear film. Tear film is responsible for clarity in vision. In case, enough tear is not produced, one tends to suffer from dry eyes. It is mainly caused due to ageing. 
If you don't produce enough tears, if your tears aren't of the right quality or your tears aren't spread across the front of your eye properly then you may develop dry eye. The glands producing tear or the tear film get inactive with age. Sometimes, the tear film is also affected by certain medicines, contact lenses, diseases like rheumatoid arthritis and Sjogren's syndrome.

Treatment
Dry eyes caused due to ageing cannot be cured completely. You must see a doctor for treatment but there are no permanent cure remedies. However, there are ways to help you get some relief. Here are the ways:

1. Try to increase the natural tears: There are certain home-based remedies to get some relief from the problem. You can keep the temperature of your room lower to get rid of the symptoms of dry eyes. Higher temperature leads to the evaporation of the tears. You can keep a humidifier in your room that adds more moisture to the air inside the room. This prevents drying up of the eye due to evaporation of tears. It is also found that when one blinks less, tear formation is reduced. The blinking is reduced while working on computers and reading. One must be careful while doing such things and try and blink as many times as possible.
2. Use eye drops: One needs to use eye drops called ‘artificial tears.’ They are an alternative to the natural tears. If usual drops are not effective, gel-based thicker drops or overnight ointments are prescribed.
3. Block tear ducts: Another way of tackling dry eyes is by reducing the drainage of tears. For this, the tear ducts are blocked by plastic pieces called punctual plugs. The process is termed as punctal occlusion.
4. Take food supplements: Certain oils and Omega 3 and 6 are known to be beneficial in treating dry eyes. Include these supplements in your diet to keep your eyes healthy.

Contact lenses (cl) are like a layer on top of your eyeball (cornea). Whenever you blink or cloae ypur eyes it completely becomes a part of your body. Thus contact lenses are akin to medicine which you either ingest or inject. 

So it is very essential to have a proper selection and ise of contact lenses. Just like your suit, cl ate available over the counter or can be custom made by an eye specialist. So choose wisely 

The side effects of a cl doesnot start immediately. So you might get away with an improper cl for even upto some years. But the side effects build up and can start showing its ugly side anytime after you wesr te cl. 

Very important is the care you take. Cl abuse is like any other abuse. It leaves a very bad impression on the eye which can be permanent at times. 

So please treat your eyes well with proper contact lense.

Glaucoma is a leading cause of blindness in people across the globe. It damages the optic nerve that carries sensory images from the retina to the brain. A faulty eye pressure is responsible for damaging the very delicate optic nerve fiber causing small blind spots in the retina. Unfortunately, for most patients this disease only gets diagnosed when the number of blind spots is on the higher side.

Types of Glaucoma

1. Open angle: This is a type of Glaucoma which results from the blockage of the drainage angle of the eye resulting into an increased eye pressure.
2. Angle closure: This is the kind of Glaucoma which results from the narrowing down of the drainage angle leading to complete blockage.

Target segment of Glaucoma

1. Family history: Inheritance surely plays a role in case of Glaucoma too. If Glaucoma runs through families of an individual, there are higher chances of getting this disease. Although there is no hard and fast rule about it, the risks of inheriting this disease are on the higher side.
2. Eye injury: If there is any history of previous eye injuries, the probability of the onset of Glaucoma cannot be turned down. Specially, if the injury is related to optic nerve, there are very high risks involved.
3. Bilateral Oophorectomy: Dual Ovary removal before the age of 40 results in deficiency of estrogen resulting in Glaucoma. Although most surgeons warn their patients of the possible risk of these procedures, many surgeries such as these have resulted in patients losing eyesight in the form of Glaucoma.
4. Patient with Diabetes: In case of acute diabetes, retina gets damaged and the eye starts producing new blood vessels on the iris resulting into an increased eye pressure. This condition often leads to Glaucoma due to blockage of fluid flow in the eye.
5. Eye Conditions: Myopia, multiple surgeries to the eye, blunt trauma etc. can lead to Glaucoma. A patient who has undergone any kind of eye surgeries suffers from inflammation. However, major inflammation is often found twisting blood flow in the eye resulting into Glaucoma.
6. If a patient is 40 or above: After a person reaches 40 years of age, a lot of diseases start cropping in to the body. Studies show that Glaucoma has a higher frequency in people who is more than the age of 40 or above.
7. High eye pressure: A patient with an eye pressure of above 21 mm HG is also at a very high risk of getting glaucoma. For a normal person the IOP lies between 10 to 21 mm HG.
8. Blood flow related disease: Diseases such as acute migraine, hypertension and low blood pressure which involves blood flow related problem often aggravate to glaucoma.
9. Ethnic Background: Statistics show that people from Afro American, Hispanics, Asian and Caribbean background have greater chances of being affected by Glaucoma.

The retina is the third and innermost layer of the eye that catches light and helps us focus on things so that we can see clearly. This is one of the most important parts of the eye. The retina is made up of a number of light sensitive cells that are connected to nerve fibres. These nerve fibres help in transmitting the light into imagery through neuro impulses that reach the brain. There are many conditions and diseases that can affect this part of the eye.

Read on to know more.

1. Macular degeneration: This is a common eye disease that is usually associated with aging and comes with symptoms like blurry vision and even blindness after a certain point. It can prevent a person from seeing things in a clear and sharp manner. This disease goes through a slow progression and can be of the dry or wet type.
2. Diabetic retinopathy: This condition can leave one visually impaired in the long run with complete blindness. This complication usually arises when a person is suffering from diabetes. It can be proliferative or non-proliferative depending on the blood and fluid leakage as well as the severity of the inflammation in the retina. While the symptoms are very subtle, the advancement can begin at a very young age.
3. Retinal vein occlusion: This condition usually happens when the veins of the retina gets obstructed or gets a blockage. This can lead to reduced blood flow to the entire area which can lead to significant vision impairment and an increase in the pressure on the eyes.
4. Retinal tears and detachments: When the retina gets pulled and is subsequently lifted from its normal position, this can lead to a condition known as retinal tears and detachment. If this condition is not treated properly and on time, it can lead to vision loss in the long run. These tears can happen in smaller sections of the retina which can lead to retinal breaks causing detachments in the retina. This condition is most commonly seen in people over the age of 60.
5. Posterior vitreous detachment: The vitreous is a gel like layer that allows the eye to retain its shape even as it allows the light to enter the eye and reach the retina. When the thin fibres connecting this layer and the retina get degenerated, there is a detachment that takes place between the two, leading to this condition.
6. Epiretinal membrane and macular holes: The scar like tissue known as the epiretinal membrane that lines the back of the eyes. When the macular tissue gets distorted due to this membrane, a macular hole may form which can lead to progressive vision impairment.

LASIK stands for Laser In-situ Keratomileusis. This is a common eye surgery that helps in correcting vision problems. During this procedure, the cornea of the eye is cut across by a medical expert to raise the tissues and reshape them to correct vision. LASIK is suitable for patients who have shortsightedness, long sightedness or who suffer from astigmatism.

Here are the 5 benefits that a LASIK surgery offers:

1. Improved vision - A study reveals that 95% of the people who underwent this surgery achieved uncorrected visual acuity of 20/40 and 85% of the people achieved 20/20 vision. This procedure ensures that a patient achieves enhanced vision.

2. Quick results and recovery - This surgery enables you to return to your normal schedule immediately the day after the surgery. You can have clear and improved vision within a day.

3. Long- lasting outcomes - A minimum timeframe of 3 months is required for the eyes to adjust, after which LASIK results are permanently noticeable in a patient. No follow up procedures are required unless something wrong went with the surgery. The patient will continue to have improved vision unless there is any normal loss due to illness or aging.

4. No need of glasses - You no longer require glasses as your vision turns to normal post-LASIK surgery.

5. Goodbye contact lenses - LASIK surgery will help eliminate the need for contacts. You will be able to avoid all the problems pertaining to wearing a contact lens, including lens solution.