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!

Are you losing your sight day by day? Does it make difficult to see you at night? Is this the onset of Blindness? Get to know about Retinitis Pigmentosa with these tips.

What actually is Retinitis Pigmentosa? 
Retinitis Pigmentosa (RP) refers to a group of diseases, which causes a slow, but progressive vision loss. It is a genetic disorder that affects the ability to respond to light.This inherited disease causes a slow loss of vision, beginning with decreased night vision and loss of peripheral (side) vision and eventually results in blindness.

Causes:
Retinitis pigmentosa is often hereditary (runs in families). If you or your partner has retinitis pigmentosa, there may be up to a 50 percent chance that you will pass it on to your children. Ask your ophthalmologist about genetic counseling if you are planning to have children.

Symptoms:
1. Slow loss of vision
2. Beginning of decreased night vision
3. Loss of peripheral vision
4. Difficulty in identifying colours

Diagnosis:
If you have poor night vision or a loss of side vision or if there is a history of retinitis pigmentosa in your family, your ophthalmologist will conduct a comprehensive eye exam to determine if you have retinitis pigmentosa. Your ophthalmologist will dilate your eyes to look at the back of them for signs of disease.

Treatment:
Currently there is no known cure for retinitis pigmentosa. However, research has shown that vitamin A palmitate may slow the progression of certain forms of RP. Your ophthalmologist can advise you about the risks and benefits of vitamin A palmitate and how much you can safely take. Taking too much vitamin A palmitate can be toxic, and evidence of vitamin A palmitate effect on RP progression is not substantial.
Another recommendation for slowing vision loss from RP is to wear sunglasses to protect your retina from harmful ultraviolet (UV) light.

Retinal prosthesis is also an important area of exploration because the prosthesis, a man-made device intended to replace a damaged body part, can be designed to take over the function of the lost photoreceptors by electrically stimulating the remaining healthy cells of the retina.

Retinitis Pigmentosa: What You Should Know About It?

The quality and sharpness of vision are generally measured with a Snellen chart. The Snellen chart shows letters of logically smaller size. Perfect vision is 20/20. This implies the patient or subject sees the same line of letters at twenty feet that a typical individual sees at twenty feet.

Here are a few doctor recommended tips that can be followed in order to achieve a perfect vision. These are as follows:

1. Eat right for good vision
Taking good care of your eyes begins with the food that you eat. Foods, for example, fatty acids, lutein, zinc and vitamins C and E may avert age related vision and eyesight problems, for example, macular degeneration and cataract as shown by certain studies. Eating these foods daily can lead to healthy eyesight. Following are some of the nutrients that can help us do so:

    Green vegetables, for example, spinach, kale, and collards
    Salmon and fish
    Eggs, nuts, beans, and other non-meat protein sources
    Oranges and different citrus natural products or juices
    Shellfish and pork

2. Quit smoking
Smoking makes you more inclined to get cataract, optic nerve damage and macular degeneration. The more times you attempt to stop smoking, the more probable you are to succeed.

3. Wear shades
The right sort of shades will shield your eyes from the sun's bright (UV) beams. An excess of UV exposure makes you more inclined to get cataracts and macular degeneration. Pick shades that piece ninety nine to hundred percent of both UVA and UVB beams. Wraparound lenses shield your eyes from the side. Spellbound lenses diminish the glare when driving. Some of the contact lenses come with UV protection as well. It is still a smart thought to wear shades for more protection, however.

4. Turn away From the Computer Screen
Gazing at a computer screen for a really long time can bring about eye strain, foggy vision, trouble focusing at a distance, dry eyes. The muscles around the eyes can start getting weak and painful if given too much strain. Turn down the screen brightness. You need to at present have the capacity to see, however, you should not feel like you are gazing at a very bright light. In case you are reading from the computer, use the zoom capacity to make the content bigger.

5. Pencil exercise
Take a pencil, and place it some place in the centre. Draw a letter, number or dot in on any side of the pencil. For this activity, you will concentrate on the pencil and the spot as you move it toward and far from your eyes. Pencil push-ups are rumoured to correct twofold vision and crossed eyes, yet it cannot hurt to attempt them for different issues since it is free, easy, and just includes focusing and refocusing your eyes. 

How to Have the Perfect Vision? Doctor Recommended Tips

Macular Degeneration is a condition in which the central part of the retina degenerates. In this condition, the posterior part of the eye, retina, is affected.

The central part of retina, macula, is associated with the central vision in the eye. The macula is responsible for controlling various abilities, such as distance perception, perceiving faces and colours, and identifying fine details of the objects. When this central part degenerates, the person slowly loses the ability to see clearly.

Such a condition can be treated with ayurvedic remedies.

Cause

The main cause of macular degeneration is the damage to the macula, the central part of the retina. This reduces the person s ability to have a clear vision. This condition progresses with time and can result in complete blindness.

Type of Macular Degeneration

Macular degeneration is of two types:

Dry Macular Degeneration: In this condition, there is a change in the pigment of the macula. Moreover, small piles of waste products generated by cells also appear on the retina. These tiny waste piles deteriorate the retina over time. Among people affected by macular degeneration, almost 90 percent of people have  dry  macular degeneration. This condition is also called non-neovascular AMD (age-related macular degeneration)

Wet Macular Degeneration: In this condition, new blood vessels begin to grow behind the retina in the choroid layer. That is why this condition is also referred to as Choroidal neovascularization (CNV). These new blood vessels are weak and begin to leak fluids, blood, and lipids (parts of cell structure). These leaks get into the layers of the retina and macula that results in scar tissue. Since wet macular degeneration is caused by leaking of fluids from newly formed blood vessels, it is also called neovascular AMD.  

Treating Macular Degeneration with Ayurveda

In Ayurveda, there are several types of herbal medications that ensure improving the vision quality and enhancing the overall quality of life of the patient.

Some of the eye supplements for macular degeneration is Ayurveda are:

Triphala Guggulu: One of the most effective herbs in Ayurveda, it has an antioxidant effect that protects the eye against free radicals and treating macular degeneration.

Shilajeet (Asphaltum): This herb is associated with anti-aging properties. It restricts the degenerative process in the eye that result due to the advancing age.

Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera): For managing macular degeneration in India, this herb is used to regenerate macula and helps in restoring the vision.

Giloy (Tinospora cordifolia): This herb protects the eyes from free radicals and prevents blindness due to macular degeneration.

Amalaki (Phyllanthus emblica): It is a source of vitamin C that prevents the deterioration of the retina and macula.

Take Away

Macular degeneration is caused due to the deterioration of the central part of the retina. It is caused either in the  dry  form or  wet  form. Dry AMD is common in people. Ayurveda can help in regenerating and restoring the functioning of retina and help is improving overall vision.





Macular Degeneration - Have Ayurveda For It!

Styes are normally caused by a proliferation of natural bacterial flora within the eye. This causes an inflammatory reaction and is known to affect children more than adults. It resembles a pimple in exterior appearance and may grow both inside and outside of the eyelid. The symptoms of styes include redness, pain, swelling and tenderness. Though the styes do not lead to any kind of visual problems, they can cause significant discomfort.

What can cause styes?
Your eyelids have lots of tiny oil glands, which can become clogged by dead skin, dirt, or oil buildup. When a gland is blocked, bacteria can grow inside. This is what causes a stye to develop.

What are the symptoms of styes?
The most common symptom of styes includes swelling of the eyelid, redness, pain, tenderness, eyelid crusts and burning in the eye. It frequently leads to a yellowish-white discharge which becomes very uncomfortable and may also continue to drain out of the eye. Doctors recommend not to press or squeeze the styes as it may lead to further complications.

You should call your doctor if:

The child`s eye is swollen shut
He has a severe pain
He has a high-grade fever
Swelling lasts for more than 20 days
Pus continues to drain from the eye
His eyelid bleeds
He has problems with his vision
Homeopathic medicines for sty are safe and effective with no side effects. They play a vital role in improving the health and immune levels of the body. The recurrence of any symptoms in a body can be prevented by homeopathic medicines. These medicines are easy and comfortable for all age groups as they taste sweeter and give quicker results.

Styes tend to dry out on its own although applying homeopathic medication can aid in hastening the process of healing.

Amalki: This homeopathic medicine aids in repairing damaged tissue which in turn aids the stye infection to dry out. It is recommended to add a teaspoon of Amalki, which is available in most homeopathic outlets, into a glass of pure water. Then the mixture must be left on its own for the whole night for at least 10 to 12 hours. The mixture should then be filtered and used for washing the affected eye.
Heper Sulphur: Heper sulphur aids in speeding up the rupture of styes so that the pain is instantly relieved. This remedy is particularly suited for the styes that cause significantly red and swollen. It also aids in reducing the tenderness and swelling. In the case of some children, styes tend to secrete a liquid discharge and are extremely painful. Heper sulphur along with warm compress can be extremely helpful in relieving the pain. 
Pulsatilla: Some styes do not cause any pain but cause significant swelling and secrete a yellowish discharge. People affected with such type of styes can be significantly benefited by the use of homeopathic remedy called pulsatilla. It has also been found useful in preventing reoccurrence of styes.
Staphisagria: Staphisagria is for chronic or recurrent styes that appear mainly on the upper eyelid. The eyes are very dry and have rheum. The corner of the eye and the edges of the eyelids may be chapped and infected.
It is important to keep the eye clean and flush it with cold water. If the pain and related symptoms do not go away after 3 to 4 days, it is best to consult a doctor for further treatments.

Styes - How Homeopathic Remedies Can Help?

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

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.
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

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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Blood flow related disease: Diseases such as acute migraine, hypertension and low blood pressure which involves blood flow related problem often aggravate to glaucoma.
Ethnic Background: Statistics show that people from Afro American, Hispanics, Asian and Caribbean background have greater chances of being affected by Glaucoma.

Glaucoma - Are You at Risk?

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