Hypertension is a killer disease whose symptoms develop late when the damage is in advanced stages. Hypertensive Retinopathy is one such disease.

It damages the retina of eyes. Since retina is responsible for vision formation, Hypertensive Retinopathy can result in loss of vision. It is of grave concern that in most cases, Hypertensive Retinopathy is diagnosed later.

This is due to the fact that there are often no symptoms in the early stages of the disease. In some cases, where symptoms do manifest, patients may experience pain in the eyes, reduced vision, or headache.

What Happens in Hypertensive Retinopathy

People suffering from long term hypertension are susceptible to Hypertensive Retinopathy. Long-term hypertension affects the small and narrow blood vessels that join arteries to capillary blood vessels taking blood to different parts of the eye. These blood vessels become narrow with time if hypertension in the eyes continues unabated. This narrowing is more common in young adults compared to older people. Such unabated systemic hypertension also leads to leakage of fluid. This is why in some cases of Hypertensive Retinopathy, patients may experience exudation. Ultimately, Hypertensive Retinopathy may lead to damage to retinal blood vessels.

Risk Factors

Long standing hypertension is the number one risk factor for Hypertensive Retinopathy. People who are suffering from longer hypertension become most susceptible for this ailment.

However, studies have shown that hypertension for more than 5 years can even make people susceptible to this ailment.

Diagnosis

Diagnosis is done by Funduscopic Examination. The doctor would look at the eyes of the patient through an Ophthalmoscope which has different lenses. The Ophthalmoscope illuminates the retina and the doctor looks at the retina with different lenses. He can get a view of the retina, including blood vessels and optic nerve disks.

Findings of Diagnosis

For a person suffering from Hypertensive Retinopathy, this examination is likely to show:

Constriction of the arterioles.

Changes in the walls of retinal blood vessels.

Flame-shaped hemorrhages in the retina.

Yellow and hard exudates.

Spots in the shape of cotton wool.

Swelling of the optic disc.

Treatment

The primary treatment for Hypertensive Retinopathy is controlling blood pressure of the eyes. Some lifestyle changes like reducing the intake of salt, avoiding tobacco, etc., may bring down or control systemic hypertension in the eyes. In many cases, doctors may just recommend lifestyle modifications. Nevertheless, it completely depends on the extent of the damage and whether or not there is any fluid accumulation.

If the doctor feels that lifestyle modification is not enough, he may go for medicines that help the patients to control blood pressure effectively.

If the problem is in advanced stages and there is fluid accumulation behind the retina, the doctor may go for Intravitreal injection or Laser Therapy to control the edema.

Conclusion

Eyes are one of the most significant part of the body, this is why it is important for people to take care of it. In case of disease like Hypertensive Retinopathy, one must consult a doctor before opting any treatment or medicines.

Hypertensive Retinopathy - Everything About It!

5 myths about eye health and the real facts behind them

Your eyes are an important part of your health. There are many things you can do to keep them healthy and make sure you are seeing your best. However, there are a number of myths regarding what you should do and what you shouldn't do when it comes to maintaining good eye health.

Here are 5 of those myths busted:

Myth #1: reading in dim light and sitting too close to the tv hurts your eyes

Fact: sitting too close to the tv, you may feel eye strain or get a headache from reading in the dark, but it will not weaken your eyes. It fatigues your eyes but does not harm your eye health in any way.

Myth #2: eating carrots will improve your vision

Fact: carrots are rich in vitamin a, a nutrient essential for good vision. But eating carrots will only provide a small amount of vitamin a. To get the optimum amount, you need to include other sources of vitamin a in your diet as well, some of which are milk, cheese, egg yolk and liver. Spinach is best for eye health. It has lutein and zeaxanthin, both of which can help prevent cataracts.

Myth #3: if you wear glasses or contacts for a continuous period, your eyes will weaken

Fact: your eyes will not grow weaker by using corrective lenses. The prescription may change over time due to aging or absence of disease but it has nothing to do with your current prescription. Some children have correctable eye problems that do require glasses to improve the condition.

Myth #4: when you get something in your eye, rub it out

Fact: this is not true for everything that gets in your eyes. If any particle falls in your eyes dust it off. But if it is sand and small debris that gets in your eye, don't touch it. Use an eye wash for flushing it out. If an object gets stuck in your eye, don't remove it or rub your eye constantly. Visit a doctor at the earliest because some serious injuries may seem minor at first.

Myth #5: dark sunglasses can protect your eyes from the sun

Fact: the color of sunglass does not ensure eye protection. Look for sunglasses that block both uva and UVB rays. Exposure to the UV-rays of sunlight can have cumulative effects on your eyes. It increases your risk for cataracts, solar retinitis, and age-related vision loss. Even if your contacts have UV protection, wear sunglasses that block 100% of uva and UVB rays for full protection.

If you would like to consult with me privately, please click on 'consult'.
Related Tip: Here's What CRYING Does to Your Body

Sitting Too Close To TV Will Weaken Your Eyes? FALSE.

Allergic conjunctivitis is the result of a foreign particle (allergen) coming in contact with the eye. Once this happens, the immune system overreacts resulting into an inflammation of the eye. The eyes sore with pain. The over secretion of the histamine dilates the blood vessels causing the nerve to irritate and blood vessels of the eyes to expand. Some common reasons of allergic conjunctivitis include eye drops, pollen, dust mites, makeup and animal fur. The good news is that allergic conjunctivitis is easily treatable. Here are top five ways to deal with this condition:

Taking care of the eye: It is advised not to wear contact lenses until the symptoms go away fully. If any medication is used, a person must wait for at least 24 hours before putting on the contact lenses. Sometimes our hands carry major pollens that result in allergic conjunctivitis. It is equally important not to rub the eye without washing both the hands. Many studies have also reported that frequent bathing of the eye with cold water helps to clear the symptoms quickly. Some even say that frequent splash of warm water does the trick.
Avoid the allergen: Allergen being the villain behind the occurrence of this condition, it is very important to stay away from it. In peak pollen times, it makes sense to close the door. In case a person must go out, it makes sense to wear a sunglass. A pillow made of feathers should be changed every week to stay away from the infection. The number of dust mites at home should be decreased as much as one can.
Antihistamines: To quickly get rid of allergic conjunctivitis, doctors often prescribe antihistamines. It can be in the form of eye drop or oral presentation. They can successfully counter the effect of histamine which the body produces because of the hyper activity of the immune system. An antihistamine can block the aggressive effect of the immune system in a short time. Some of the commonly prescribed histamines include loratadine, cetirizine, emedastine, and ketotifen. People taking this form of the medicine for the very first time should refrain from carrying heavy load or driving.
Mast cell Stabilizers: These takes a little longer to act as compared to antihistamines. Their effects, however, are more lasting compared to its peers. Some of the popular mast cell stabilizers include nedocromil and lodoxamide. This medicine belongs to a non-steroid family and can successfully block the chemicals that cause inflammation.
Corticosteroids: These medicines are only prescribed by doctors when the symptoms of allergic conjunctivitis are serious. They belong to the steroid family of medicine produced synthetically. They can reduce the immune response of the body quickly and reduce the swelling as well. They can have possible side-effects. It is therefore wise, to consult a doctor before using it.

Allergic Conjunctivitis - 5 Top Ways To Deal With It!

Glaucoma is a disease that damages your eye's optic nerve. It usually happens when fluid builds up in the front part of your eye. That extra fluid increases the pressure in your eye, damaging the optic nerve.Glaucoma is the second largest cause of eye blindness in the world.

There are several types of Glaucoma:
1. Open-angle Glaucoma
2. Normal-tension Glaucoma
3. Angle-closure Glaucoma
4. Congenital Glaucoma
5. Secondary Glaucoma
6. Glaucoma suspect

How will you know that you are suffering from Glaucoma?
Only half the people with glaucoma are aware that they are suffering from this condition. When Glaucoma develops, there are usually no early symptoms. This is why glaucoma can 'steal' sight gradually.

Symptoms:
1. In its early stages, open-angle Glaucoma has no obvious symptoms. As the disease progresses more blind spots develop in the peripheral (side) view.
2. An attack of angle-closure Glaucoma includes the following:
a. Severe pain in the eye or forehead
b. Redness of the eye
c. Decreased vision or blurred vision
d. Vision rainbows or halos
e. Headache
f. Nausea
g. Vomiting
If you get any of the symptoms rush to your doctor and take an eye exam as soon as possible.

Causes:
1. Eye injury
2. Inflammation of the eye
3. Dilating eye drops
4. Blocked or restricted drainage in your eye
5. Use of steroid-containing medications (pills, eye drops, sprays)
6. Poor or reduced blood flow to your optic nerve
7. High or elevated blood pressure

Who is at Risk for Glaucoma?
People with more risk of developing Glaucoma include people who:
1. Are over age 40
2. Have family members with glaucoma
3. Have high eye pressure
4. Are farsighted or nearsighted
5. Have had an eye injury
6. Have diabetes, migraines, high blood pressure, poor blood circulation or other health problems affecting the whole body.

Types, Causes and Symptoms of Glaucoma

Amblyopia is commonly known as'lazy eye. It is a vision development disorder, which affects eyes and the brain during infancy and childhood. It signifies that the eye does not achieve a normal visual acuity even with refractive correction in form of glasses or contact lens. During normal visual development, the eye and brain learns to'see' and develop binocularity, that is the ability to perceive depth (stereoacuity). This occurs in the first 8 to 10 years of life. 

Each eye transmits a clear and identical image from retina to the brain, which fuses the two images into a single image with 3 dimensions (adding depth). When the image is formed on the retina of two eyes is too dissimilar, the brain cannot fuse the two images and suppresses the more blurred image. As a result, the worse eye does not learn to'see' and becomes'lazy. This condition is seen in 1-4% of population.

The common causes for dissimilar images or amblyopia are:
1. Misalignment of the eyes or squint: it is the primary reason for amblyopia is misalignment of the eyes. In case, both your eyes are not aimed in the same direction, the image captured by each eye is different, resulting in diplopia. The brain will see from the dominant eye and suppress image from the other eye. Over a prolonged period of time, the eye dissociates from the visual cortex of the brain.

2. Refractive amblyopia:
A. Unequal refractive error in both eye. When the eye power of both eyes differ by more than 1.5d of spherical equivalent, which results in dissimilar images between the two eyes. As a result, the visual development in restricted in the worse eye.
B. High refractive error or astigmatism in both eyes, since there is a blurred image in both eyes, the normal vision development does not occur in either eyes resulting in bilateral lazy eyes.

3. Cloudiness in visual system or visual deprivation amblyopia: any kind of obstruction or cloudiness in the normal visual axis of the eye tissues can lead to amblyopia. Disorder of any kind, which blocks a clear image from being focused blocks the formation of a clear image on your retina. Commonly due to congenital or developmental cataracts or corneal opacities or prolonged closure of one eye in early childhood (drooping of one eyelid, eyelid swelling, patching of one eye).

Treatment for amblyopia
For treatment of amblyopia, a child must be compelled to utilize his affected, weaker eye. This can be done by correction of causative factor such as, treating refractive error with glasses, surgical correction of misalignment of eyes followed by patching and vision therapy, cataract surgery.

Patching or occlusion of the good eye
This is done to force the brain to pay attention to visual input from the worse eye. This allows nerve connections between affected eye and brain to develop due to, which the eye'learns to see. Eye drops such as atropine are also used for blurring the vision of the good eye. Some form of vision therapy may also be required to train both eyes to see together and develop some degree of depth perception.

To be effective, treatment should be implement as early as possible, within the period of normal visual development best within first 8 years of life. Some visual gain has been seen in selected patients up to age of 14 to 18 years. This also highlights the importance of a comprehensive eye examination as a routine in young children.

About Amblyopia or Lazy Eye

Conjunctivitis is a medical condition that is marked by redness in the eyes owing to the inflammation of the conjunctiva, which is the membrane covering the white part of the eye. The condition is further characterized by the discharge of yellowish pus fluid from the corner of the eye. This condition, which is essentially an infection, can occur to people of all age brackets. 

Causes and Symptoms 

Conjunctivitis can be caused due to several reasons namely allergies, irritants, bacterial and viral infections, among others. Apart from the redness in the eye, some other apparent symptoms of conjunctivitis are: 

    Thin and watery discharge in viral conjunctivitis 
    Thick, mucous like discharge ranging from yellow to green in case of bacterial conjunctivitis
    Sticky eyelids
    Increased reactivity to light 
    Blurred or foggy vision
    Nasal discharges 

It is difficult to distinguish between viral, allergic and bacterial conjunctivitis. Different fields of medicine prescribe treatments according to the cause of the condition. Although subtle differences, such as thick and thin discharges can be observed, in Homeopathy the cause is not that important. 

Homeopathic medicines are natural and highly effective. The medications, which are prescribed in Homeopathy can more than manage the discharges, swelling, the sandy sensation and redness in the eyes. Homeopathic medicines are effective when the condition causes the eye to get dry, red, congested and swollen. Bathing the eyes with sterilized salt water is also a popular method of treating the infection. In addition to these, Homeopathic doctors also provide tips to curb the likelihood of further complications. Removing your contact lenses while treatment and cleaning your spectacles on a regular basis, if you wear any, are duly recommended.

Treating Conjunctivitis With Homeopathy

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