Dr. R.Manohar Babu

While most of us complain of eye problems as pain or redness or itching or excessive tearing, there is more to it than what meets the eye! As with all diseases, the homeopath will try to unravel the problem in its deeper form. A detailed discussion to ask related symptoms happens, after which a diagnosis will be made. Treatment is then done accordingly which will not just get rid of the eye symptoms but also improve the overall health of the person.

Conditions like cataract and glaucoma need to be surgically corrected; however, others can be managed via homeopathic medicines effectively. The following are the top five homeopathic medicines described along with the symptoms in which they are used. A detailed discussion with your homeopath to arrive at the diagnosis should definitely precede use of these medications. Self-medication is not advised.

Mercurius - Mercurial preparations are used when the following symptoms are seen:

1. Thickened, red eyelids that are worse at night
2. Profuse, offensive-smelling discharge that causes burning
3. Boils around the eyes with pus formation
4. Floaters in the eyes
5. Worsens with warmth and damp weather
6. Syphilitic eye infections

Belladonna: One of the most widely used eye remedies in homeopathy; it is extremely useful in the following situations

1. Ophthalmic conditions with severe inflammation, dryness,
2. Injected eyes with iritis or retinitis
3. Fear of light (photophobia)
4. Eyes affected due to excessive light or poor light
5. Retinal hemorrhage conditions
6. Sudden, acute onset of these symptoms
7. Great intolerance to light

Euphrasia and Allium cepa: This is used as a combo, with both used in similar situation but with contradicting symptoms. The person has symptoms similar to hay fever or cold.
While euphrasia is used where there is a bland nasal discharge and burning tears, allium is used when there is a strong burning sensation with nasal discharge. Some doctors even try one, and if it is not effective, they prescribe the other one. Other conditions where Euphrasia and Allium cepa are used include:

1. Watery eyes that blink frequently
2. Acute catarrhal conjunctivitis
3. Bland and watery coryza
4. Burning of the eyes with corrosion of the margins
5. Opaque, blistering cornea with thick discharge
6. Eye swelling improves when in open air, worsens in the evening and with light

Arsenica - This common homeopathy medicine is used in the following situations:

1. Sharp eye pain caused by day light
2. Closing eyes produces pain in the eyes
3. Running of letters when trying to read
4. Affected tear ducts
5. Cataracts in office goes
6. Worsened during new moon and cold weather, improved with warmth.

These are some common homeopathy medicines, but again, as noted above, self-medication should be avoided. Any of these should be used only if prescribed by a homeopath.

Meibomianitis is a disease that occurs when the lubrication glands of the eyes called Meibomian glands malfunction. The function of these glands is to produce oil that keeps our eyes lubricated and moisturised. Due to some reasons that we shall be looking at later, these small glands flip their switch and start producing excessive oil or just get inflamed causing Meibomianitis.

Bacteria also collect and prosper on the eyelids in the extra oil adding to the malaise.

So, how do you confirm that you have Meibomianitis?

Look out for these symptoms:

1. watery eyes

2. swelling and redness of eyelids

3. burning sensation in eyes

4. itchiness

5. flaking skin around eyes

6. crusted eyelashes

7. light sensitivity

8. frequent styes or bumps along the eyelids typically caused due to excess oil secretion and inflamed Meibomian gland

9. excessive blinking

10. blurred vision

11. loss of eyelashes

12. dry eyes

Like with all diseases, the severity of symptoms varies from patient to patient. A few may experience only mild symptoms, while others have to grapple with severe irritation and burning.

We suggest that you don’t wait for your symptoms to become extreme before you visit your doctor.

Root Causes of Meibomianitis:

We already know that Meibomianitis occurs when the meibomian glands in the eyelids don’t function properly.

But why does this happen?

The answer is that Meibomianitis is caused by any condition that increases oil production in oil glands. Like:

1. hormonal changes, especially during adolescence

2. allergies

3. skin conditions, such as acne and rosacea

4. eyelash lice

5. acne medications which actually encourage the growth of bacteria on the eyelids

6. A few contact lens solutions

7. Infected eye makeup

Meibomianitis, however, is not contagious.

Diagnosis and Cure:

When you go to a doctor with symptoms of meibomianitis, he will examine your eyes, focusing on eyelids and the front surface of your eyeball. By doing this, he will be able to identify whether you have blocked meibomian glands.

Next, he will use a swab to collect a sample of the crust or oil from your eyes and send this sample to a lab to be tested for bacteria.

If the test is positive, your doctor will recommend a thorough cleaning of your eyelids with warm water. He may also prescribe antibiotics or steroids to treat your eye condition in form of eye drops or creams applied directly to your eyelids, or in pill form.

Apart from this, you may have to forego wearing of contact lenses and treatment for your acne and rosacea. We also recommend that you go make-up free as this causes a buildup of bacteria and always maintain proper eye hygiene so that your oil glands remain infection- free always.

LASIK is a corrective eye surgery that aims at repairing the vision impairment. It is known as laser in situ keratomileusis. This surgery is typically used to fix nearsightedness, farsightedness and even astigmatism.

So can this surgery help in removing your spectacles and giving you crystal clear vision? Let us find out!

• Definition: The LASIK procedure basically works towards reshaping the cornea, which is the clear portion that coats the eye. This is responsible for proper travel of light to the retina where it must focus in an appropriate manner so as to reach the back of eye.
• Corrective Technique: With its cornea reshaping technique, this procedure is effective in correcting vision and removing spectacles for at least 96% of the patients who go through this treatment.
• Convenient: The LASIK surgery is a highly convenient one that hardly creates any pain. Numbing drops are used to minimise the pain that may be felt during the procedure. Also, the time taken for the correction is very little with most procedures commencing within a day or two. Further, this procedure does not require any bandages or stitches and usually works with a powerful laser beam.
• Eyeglass Dependence Reduction: Most patients have a dramatic improvement in the quality of their vision and do not require glasses, while other patients usually have a reduced dependence on eyeglasses once the surgery is done.
• Preparing for the Surgery: To prepare for the surgery, it is imperative to meet and coordinate the details with the ophthalmologist who will examine your eye carefully and seek to determine the risk of any kind of side effect. Also, the doctor will ask specific questions regarding the medical history of the patient before conducting the surgery. As a part of the preparation, the doctor will also take measurements of the corneal thickness and other such factors like refraction, corneal mapping, pupil dilation and air pressure, so as to carry out the surgery in the most effective manner. Do not wear your contact lenses for at least three weeks before this evaluation so as to get the correct reading which will make the surgery much more effective due to the correct settings applied to the pulses.
• Procedure: During the procedure, an instrument known as a microkeratome laser will be used to lift the flap of the cornea which will be peeled back while the corneal tissue is reshaped. Then the cornea flap will be put back in its position.

Remember to be prepared for some amount of dryness in the eyes once the surgery is over. Talk to your doctor about other side effects.