Astigmatism is an eye condition where there is an imperfection in the curvature of the cornea. The cornea and lens are smooth and equally curved in all directions, which helps to focus the light rays to the retina. But if there is an imperfection in the curvature, then you will suffer from a refractive error. Astigmatism is not an eye disease. It is simply a condition where the eye is not able to focus the light. 

Causes: 
Irregular shape of the cornea is the main cause for astigmatism. It might also be caused because of the imperfect shape of the lens. Suffering from astigmatism is very common. You are either born with the condition or you might have developed it after an eye surgery. It is an incorrect concept that watching too much of television or reading without enough light causes astigmatism.

Types: 
There are three different types of astigmatism:
1. Myopic astigmatism: When the principal meridians of the cornea are nearsighted.
2. Hyperopic astigmatism: When the principal meridians of the cornea are farsighted.
3. Mixed astigmatism: When one of the principal meridians is nearsighted and the other is farsighted.

It can also be classified in two other types:
1. Regular astigmatism: When the principal meridians are perpendicular to each other.
2. Irregular astigmatism: When the principal meridians are not perpendicular to each other.

Symptoms: 
Blurry or distorted vision, strain in the eye, eye discomfort, squinting and headaches are a few symptoms of astigmatism

Diagnosis:
If you notice the symptoms stated above, make sure you pay a visit to your ophthalmologist. If you are suffering from astigmatism, your doctor will do an eye test to check how much your eye is able to focus on light. After conducting his tests, he will determine how much power you have and you will have to wear glasses of that power. Apart from the option of wearing glasses or artificial lenses, you can also go for a surgery to correct the condition. LASIK is an option among the many other options of surgeries available.

Diet: 
Eat foods rich in sulphur. Foods like fish, green vegetables, pineapple, garlic, onion, olive oil, etc are rich in sulphur. Hence, eating these will help you battle astigmatism.

All About Astigmatism

Blurred vision is most often a sign that you need corrective spectacles for near sightedness, far sightedness or astigmatism but it could also be a sign of a bigger problem including eye diseases or neurological problems. Blurred vision involves the loss of sharpness of vision and objects appearing hazy and out of focus. It can affect one eye or both eyes simultaneously.

Whatever be your age, it is a good idea to consult a doctor as you begin to experience a blurred vision. To measure the extent of your vision problem, a doctor will do a comprehensive eye examination including spatial contrast sensitivity and a standard eye chart test. Some of the factors that trigger blurred vision are:

1. Myopia or nearsightedness
2. Hypermetropia or farsightedness
3. Astigmatism caused by an irregularly shaped cornea
4. Presbyopia - the diminished ability to focus on objects due to the hardening of the lens in the eye
5. Dry eyes or the lack of lubrication on the surface of the eyes
6. Hormonal changes during pregnancy
7. Migraine headaches
8. Temporary floaters in the eye formed by the liquefying of the gel in the eyes
9. After effects of lasik surgery
10. Eye drops or medication
11. Overuse of contact lenses
12. Diabetes

Blurred vision can also be a symptom of a serious condition such as cataract, glaucoma, macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy and cardiovascular diseases.

Treatment for blurred vision depends on the factors triggering it. Wearing corrective glasses can cure blurred vision caused by myopia, hypermetropia and astigmatism. These conditions can also be treated by lasik surgery. For blurred vision related to diabetes, check your blood sugar and get it into its optimal range.

Exercises for the eye muscles can also help sharpen vision and lower the rate of eye muscle degeneration. Some of these exercises are:

1. Alternately focus on an object close to you and another far from you for ten seconds each.
2. Blink your eyes and hold for two seconds
3. Roll your eyes clockwise and anticlockwise. Repeat 15-20 times.
4. Rub your palms together to generate heat and place over your eyes to relax them.

A healthy diet with plenty of vitamin a can help keep your eyes healthy and prevent blurring of vision. Wearing sunglasses can also protect your eyes from harmful uv radiation and lower their rate of wear and tear. Lastly avoid reading in moving vehicles and holding a book too close to your face.

Is Your Vision Blurry? What Should You Do?

Tip for eye care

This is the worst time of the year, for your eyes. Pollution from firecrackers, smog due to weather change and generally ever increasing vehicular pollution adds up to be the worst for your eye health. 

Protect your eyesight and take care of your eyes by following these simple daily eye care tips.

1. Eat Well: Protect your eyes from within. Eat for good vision. Eat foods that have various nutrients such as omega 3 fatty acids, zinc and lutein, vitamins A, C and E to keep eye problems at bay. Green leafy vegetables, salmon and other oily fishes, eggs and nuts, orange and citrus fruits are great for eyesight.

2. Quit Smoking: For better eye-care leave smoking. This simple activity can make you likelier to get optic nerve damage, macular degeneration and cataracts.

3. Have eye-care routine: Most of us don’t have an eye care routine, which is essential for keeping them fit. So, develop a good eye-care routine. In this routine, practice eye exercises, focusing eyes on a point far away to promote muscle development. Clean eyes everyday with fresh, clean water to reduce eye mites and other problems.

4. Wear Sunglasses: Wearing sunglasses on a regular basis will protect eyes from UV rays and ensure protection. This will help in reducing the chances of getting cataracts and developing macular degeneration.

5. Use Safety Wear: It is important that you regularly wear safety wear problems. For instance, for sports, wear eye protection products, sports goggles or protective face masks.

6. Look away from computer: A lot of us use computers too much for work and recreation. Now is the time to look away from it. Staring at the computer for long can cause eyestrain and blurry vision, trouble focusing at a distance and result in dry eyes as well as neck and shoulder pain with headaches. So, take regular breaks from that computer.

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Doctor's Advice On How To Keep Your Eyes Safe This Diwali

It's the month of Phagun again and time to prepare for the most colourful and vibrant festival of India - Holi. As the festive cheer spreads and people get ready to paint the town red with colours, dance to rocking beats at Holi bashes, and gorge on Gujiya and Thandaai, it s good to remember that you need to play it safely and naturally. The biggest reason for this is the synthetic agents, which are used to make the colours of Holi. What used to be a festival played with flowers, natural dyes and herbs have now transformed into a celebration of colours made from chemicals that are harmful for our body. 

Apart from the allergies to the skin, there is also the risk of increased blood pressure after the Holi festivities due to the high intake of bhaang, the official Holi drink. To avoid the harmful effects of such materials used during the festival, here are some must-follow health tips for you.

Tips to care for your skin

Use organic colours: Skin is the most sensitive body part and synthetic colours are a big no-no for it, as they can lead to rashes and other skin allergies. Therefore, it is advisable that you opt for organic colours, considering they are not only chemical free but are made from natural ingredients. Organic colours are safe for children too, as they are softer on the skin and easy to wash off. It is crucial that you protect kids from synthetic colours as they contain lead oxide, mercury sulphide and aluminium bromide, chemicals which not only damage the skin but can also cause various health issues.
Skin and sun protection: To avoid any kind of damage to the skin from colours, apply a good amount of Vaseline, any other petroleum jelly or mustard oil to your skin. You can also apply this to your child s skin as it is completely safe for their sensitive skin. When playing outdoors, opt for a waterproof sunscreen to protect your skin against sun damage.
Choose the right clothes: Wear long pants and full-sleeved shirts. This will help you stay safe from the harmful effects of colours. 
Tips to care for your hair

Oil your hair: You can apply a generous amount of oil to your hair, this will not only moisturize your hair but also safeguard the scalp and hair from the chemicals in the colours.
Cover your hair: Tie a ponytail and cover your hair with a shower cap to prevent your hair from dreadful damage. For a trendy look, you can also tie a bandana over your hair and safeguard them at the same time. 
Tips to care for your eyes

Wear sunglasses: Synthetic or organic, colours can be harsh on your eyes. You can protect your eyes by wearing sunglasses as they will help in preventing your eyes against any sort of damage. If your eyes come in contact with the colour, rinse them immediately to avoid infections. 
Moisturize around the eyes: Applying a good cream around your eyes will shield them from getting the colour into your eyes.
Avoid wearing contact lenses: You should refrain from wearing contact lenses while playing Holi. In case you cannot do without them, wear the eyeglasses. 
Use rose water: Rose water is known for its antiseptic and antibacterial properties and can do a great job in removing colour from the eyes. It can also be used to reduce irritation cause by the chemicals present in the colours.
Other health tips

Stay hydrated: Drink plenty of water before, during and after the festivities. Staying hydrated will not only keep you energetic but will also prevent your skin against the absorption of harmful chemicals. Drinking fluids will also ensure that all the toxins are flushed out of the body. 
Check your sweets for purity: Adulteration is at all-time high during the festive season. Therefore, make sure you buy your sweets from a reputed brand. In case, you are preparing your own sweets, buy your ingredients from a reputed shop, especially in case of products like khoya or if you can you even make that at home.
Keep your hands clean: Keeping your hands clean during the festivities can be a daunting task but since the colours used during Holi come as a fine powder and can easily get mixed with food, they can lead to different health problems. Make arrangements for snacks and drinks away from the festivity area. Make sure you wash your hands every time you touch the food.
Preventing asthma attacks: If you are an asthmatic patient, you must avoid playing with dry colours as they can aggravate breathing problems. The particles can enter your lungs and trigger an asthma attack. Asthmatic patients are also advised to carry inhalers, in order to avoid complications.
Apart from the above mentioned problems, these synthetic colors can also cause health problems like nausea, headache and vomiting in many people. Follow these tips and enjoy the festival to the fullest, while steering clear of all the harmful effects. So, forget all your worries and storm in the riot of colours. Be safe and be healthy! Have a great Holi!

This Holi Let's Paint The Town Red While Keeping Yourself Safe

Glaucoma is a group of diseases that causes damage to your eye's optic nerve and gets worse over time. The optic nerve is a bundle of millions of nerve fibres which carry visual impulse from the retina at the back of eye to the brain. The increased eye pressure, called intraocular pressure, can damage the optic nerve and fasten the natural nerve fibre loss. Since nerve cells can't regenerate this damage is permanent and irreversible.

Without treatment, glaucoma can cause total permanent blindness within a few years. Because most people with glaucoma have no early symptoms or pain from this increased pressure, it is important to see your eye doctor regularly so that glaucoma can be diagnosed early and treated before significant functional visual loss occurs.

If you are over age 40 and have a family history of glaucoma, you should have a complete eye exam with an eye doctor every one to two years. If you have any risk factors, you may need to visit your eye doctor more frequently.

What are the symptoms of glaucoma?

For most people, there are usually few or no symptoms of glaucoma. The first sign of glaucoma is often the loss of peripheral or side vision, which can go unnoticed until late in the disease. This is why glaucoma is often called the" sneak thief of vision" or" silent thief of eye sight.

If you have any of the following symptoms, seek immediate medical care:

Seeing halos around lights
Vision loss
Redness in the eye
Eye that looks hazy (particularly in infants)
Nausea or vomiting
Pain in the eye
Narrowing of vision (tunnel vision)
Risk factors-

There are several risk factors, which may lead to glaucoma, such as

Age of the individual
Ethnicity- african, caribbean, hispanics and asians are at higher risk
Increased eye pressure or iop history of glaucoma in family or relatives
Presence of myopia or hyperopia
Previous eye injuries
Use of steroids- as injections, tablets, eye or ear drops or ointments or protein supplements for muscle building in gyms or inhalers
Previous history of anemia
Individuals conditions affecting blood flow like hypertension, diabetes or high blood sugar, migraine etc are also at risk.
Treatment-

The treatment for glaucoma relies on the nature and seriousness of every case. Generally, glaucoma cannot be totally cured, but it can be controlled. Eye drops, pills, laser strategies, and means of surgery are utilized to maintain and prevent further harm from happening. Talk to your eye doctor to find out if you are at risk of developing glaucoma.

Are You at a Risk of Glaucoma? What You Need to Know?

During summer you try to take special care about the overall health of your body, particularly, your eyes. Eyes are one of the most important organs of the body, and the scorching summer heat can cause serious eye problems like conjunctivitis, infections, red eye, migraines etc., which is why it's important to take proper care of eyes during the summer season.

Here are some tips to keep your eyes cool and protected during the summer:

- Wearing sunglasses is very important when you are outdoors as it protects your eyes from the harmful UVA and UVB light. This will help in avoiding migraines and even serious conditions like cataract.
- Avoid midday sunshine. Stay indoors as much as possible during the middle of the day to avoid the sunshine then when the effect of the sun and ultraviolet radiation exposure are at their peak.
- When you plan to go for a swim, make sure you wear your swimming goggles. Otherwise you might catch conjunctivitis.
- You should not splash water into the eyes directly unless any foreign particles such as dust enter your eyes. This might damage the tear film of the eye, which protects your eyes.
- You need to maintain proper hygiene by washing your hands and face properly as soon as you reach home so that dust or grime does not enter the eyes as their entry can result in allergies and infections.
- You can keep a slice of cucumber on each of your eyes to relax and cool them down.
- 6 to 8 hours of sleep are a must as they help in revitalizing your eyes.
- Adding green vegetables, carrots, nuts, liver and fruits to your diet would be very beneficial for the health of your eyes.



8 Tips to Keep Your Eyes Cool in Summers

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