Ever noticed spots or strands that  float  into your line of vision. These are known as floaters. In most cases, they do not affect your vision, but can cause a lot of discomfort. Thus, in most cases they do not require treatment unless they affect your vision significantly. Floaters are more likely to stand out when looking at bright objects or something like a clear blue sky. Moving your eyes can shift the fluid in your eyes and move these floaters out of your line of sight.

Dust particles entering and irritating the eye should not be confused with floaters. Floaters can be described as flecks of a protein called collagen. These flecks can be seen when they are loosened from the back of the eye known as the vitreous. This can happen at any age but is more likely to affect people between the ages of 50 and 75. Being near sighted or suffering from cataract also increases your risk of seeing floaters. In rare cases, it can also be triggered by a disease in the eye, an injury to the eye, tumors or crystal deposits in the back of the eye.

Noticing the odd floater is not something to worry about. However, if you notice a sudden increase in the number and frequency of floaters in your eye, see flashes of light, have pain in the eyes or experience a loss of side vision, consult a doctor immediately. This could also be a sign of a more serious condition like a detached retina that requires immediate medical attention. Excessive floaters can be removed through a surgery known as a vitrectomy or laser vitreolysis. A vitrectomy involves the removal of vitreous gel from the middle of the eye and replacing it with silicone oil or a gas bubble. The surgery last 2 or 3 hours, but you may require an overnight stay in the hospital.

Laser vitreolysis is a more recent form of treatment for this condition. This pain free procedure involves the projection of a laser beam into the eye that focuses on large floaters to break them apart or vaporize them. This procedure can be performed as an outpatient and is considered safer than a vitrectomy. The form of treatment suited to a person will depend on a number of factors including their age, what the floaters look like, where they are located and the frequency of their appearance.

Eye Floaters - When Should You Consult A Doctor?

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.

Have you been noticing bumps on your skin surface? Does the top of this growth resemble a cauliflower and feel bumpy or smooth when you touch it? These are the symptoms of a disease known as warts, which is caused by HPV or human papillomavirus. Generally, warts are not very dangerous, but they are ugly, contagious and may cause pain as well. Warts may be caused by more than 100 types of HPV viruses. A certain type of HPV causes warts around the genitals. In women, these are called genital warts and it is a severe disease.

Treatment
All warts do not require treatment and disappear on their own. This is because over time, the body s immune system can destroy the HPV virus which causes warts. A wart needs to be treated when it is painful, embarrassing, gets irritating easily, spreads to other parts of the body or spreads to other people. The goal of the treatment is to eliminate or remove the wart, avoiding a scar tissue. Creating a scar tissue would cause more pain than the wart. The treatment of warts depends upon the type, location and specific symptoms of the disease.

Self-treatment
Warts can be treated at home using salicylic acid and duct tape. Most warts do not require treatment, but in case the symptoms worsen and do not go away on their own, you require proper care.
Medical treatment

The medical treatment for warts prescribed by a doctor includes the following:

Cryotherapy
Certain medicated creams and ointments
Surgical methods such as electrosurgery or laser surgery
Chemical peels with certain acids
Excision or cutting of the warts
Before going for a treatment, it is important to detect the exact type of wart. Treatment for some types of warts may be quite painful with the chances of a scar tissue. Warts which lie beneath the skin are difficult to treat and the doctor might need to make an incision on the skin over the wart to let the medicine penetrate through it.

An HPV vaccine can be taken to protect men and women from the common warts caused by HPV viruses. This vaccine can be taken up to the age of 26. The vaccine should be taken before getting sexually active and is more effective when taken before being exposed to the HPV virus. In order to prevent transmission of the HPV virus, having protected sex is recommended. In case of any severe symptoms of warts, you must consult a doctor immediately.

Warts - Dermatological Treatments For It!

6 effective ways to get rid of warts

Warts are small, rough patches on the skin (resembling cauliflowers) that are caused due to the human papillomavirus (hpv- a dna virus that can infect humans). In this condition, only the topmost layer of your skin gets infected and acquires a rough texture. Warts are not fatal (they do not cause cancer), but they are contagious in nature and do not vanish easily. 

Read on to find the most effective ways to get rid of warts. 

1. Over-the-counter wart removers
Over-the-counter wart treatments containing salicylic acid (a type of fungicide) as an active ingredient are commonly used for effective removal of warts. These medications generally eliminate warts by removing the topmost layer of the skin, following the peel-off process.

2. Cryotherapy
Cryotherapy, also known as freezing therapy, is generally performed by a dermatologist and consists of the use of liquid nitrogen for freezing the warts. The application of the chemical results in the formation of a blister around the warts, which shed off after about a week. It takes almost 3 to 4 weeks to have completely wart-free skin. This method proves to be more effective when used with salicylic acid-based wart removers.

3. Laser treatment
Another form of wart removal is pulsed-dye laser treatment. An ablative co2 laser acts by cutting and burning the wart. In this type of treatment the affected blood vessels are burnt, leading to the death of the infected tissue, following which the wart too disappears. However, this method is not commonly used if other treatment methods tend to work as it is painful and may leave behind scars.

4. Vaccine
Sometimes your dermatologist may recommend the use of human papillomavirus (hpv) vaccine to successfully eliminate warts.

5. Bleomycin
In this type of treatment each wart is injected with a shot of bleomycin, a medicine that fights cancer. However, this treatment is not preferred generally as it may be painful and comes with side effects like nail loss if the wart is present on the finger.

6. Immune therapy
When warts refuse to vanish after the use of all common treatments, this method is put into use. This type of treatment involves the use of medications or solutions, which strengthens your immune system so that it can repel warts. In this case your warts may be injected with an antigen or a solution or cream may be applied on them. 

If you would like to consult with me privately, please click on'consult.

6 Effective Ways to Get Rid of Warts - Cauliflower-like Skin Inflammation

7 Easy ways to get relief from computer eye strain

Do you spend long hours in front of the computer? If you do, you may be experiencing eye strain on a regular basis. Eye strain is a common problem and is characterised by fatigue, decreased productivity, red eyes and eye twitching. You can get rid of eye strain by making use of any one of these simple tips. 

1. Ensure that your workplace has correct lighting
Often eye strain occurs as a result of improper lighting. This can be caused by exposure to bright sunlight coming in from the windows and doors or excessively dazzling indoor lights. You can avoid extra lights by keeping blinds or shades closed and by avoiding high-intensity bulbs or fluorescent lights. Alternatively, opting for incandescent or halogen lighting can be beneficial.

2. Minimise glare
You can install an anti-glare screen on the monitor of your computer to minimise glare. Keep the windows covered to reduce glare caused by outdoor sources.

3. Modify the display settings of your computer
You can modify the display settings of your computer in the following manner to reduce eye strain:
• Brightness-Set the brightness of the display to a level, which equals the brightness of your workplace.
• Text size and contrast-Modify the text size and contrast according to the comfort level of your eyes. For most people, black text colour on a white background ensures minimum eye strain and maximum convenience.
• Colour temperature- The spectrum of visible light, which a colour display usually emits is its colour temperature. Blue light is considered to cause more eye strain. So, you should decrease the colour temperature to minimize the amount of blue light emitted by your computer’s display.

4. Try some eye exercises
You can practise some easy eye exercises to prevent your eyes from getting tired. Try staring at a distant object for 10-15 seconds and then looking at any nearby object for another 10-15 seconds. Return your gaze to the first object. Repeat 10 times.

5. Opt for some computer eyewear while working
Try wearing a pair of computer glasses while working. They ensure that your eyes remain correctly focussed on the computer screen, while reducing strain to a minimum. Computer glasses also prove to be very effective in diminishing glare. 

6. Take short breaks at regular intervals
Apply the 20-20 rule to your work regime. After each 20 minutes of work on the computer, give your eyes a 20 second break by looking away from the screen towards any object located 20 feet away from you.

7. Go for a comprehensive eye exam
Make sure that you go for a comprehensive eye exam every year to reduce vision problems caused by computers. This will also help in detecting the root cause behind your problem, so that you can effectively employ curative or preventive measures to control eye strain.

If you would like to consult with me privately, please click on 'Consult'.

7 Easy Ways to Get Relief from EveryDay Computer Eye Strain

Everyone wants to have a bright and radiating skin. But blemishes and skin abnormalities are common and can occur due to lifestyle, diet or hormonal imbalances. Moles and warts are typical skin issues. But how do you tell them apart?

Moles   What are they?

Hardly ever causing pain, they appear in many different colours and can be bumpy or flat. Most often of red, brown or black colour, they occur as a result of skin pigmentation called melanocytes. They can be caused due to direct exposure to sunlight or due to genetic factors as well. They can appear in any part of the body and form slowly, taking a long time to grow.

Warts   What are they?

Small bumps or rough growth on the skin that appear in hands, legs, fingers, soles of the feet, face or in the genital area manifest as warts. They are white or pale. They occur as a result of harmful virus infection of Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) and hence, can be contagious. As opposed to moles, warts need to be removed quickly since a virus causes them.

How do you differentiate a mole from a wart?
Below are some common characteristics of each that can help you identify the skin problem:

Moles

Either flat or elevated from the skin, they are commonly referred to as beauty marks or birth marks.
At times, they have hair growing from them.
Usually, they have one colour   mostly on the darker side.
It cannot be transmitted between people.
They are generated by a collection of pigment cells in the body and darken during hormonal changes.
They tend to become cancerous and lead to melanoma.
Warts

They are harmless, yet contagious.
They have small black or dark dots in the centre that are tiny blood vessels, which provide them with nutrients.
They grow outwards on the skin with a scaly or bumpy deposit.
They can grow anywhere on the body, but are commonly found in feet, hands or fingers.
How to treat warts and moles?

The good news is that both warts and moles do not pose a grave risk to your health, but they are annoying and can turn dangerous in the long run. Especially with warts, you can give it to someone or acquire from someone, since it is a type of virus infection. So, seek medical assistance if you want them to be removed from your skin.

Be aware of the difference between warts and moles to know what you are dealing with. Consult a dermatologist to decide the right steps to remove it or not.

Warts vs. Moles - All You Need To Know!

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