Night blindness is also called nyctalopia.It's a type of vision impairment. People with night blindness experience poor vision at night or in dimly lit environments. It is not a disease in itself, but rather a symptom of an underlying problem, usually a retina problem.

What Causes Night Blindness?
A number of eye conditions can cause night blindness, including:
1. Nearsightedness or blurred vision when looking at faraway objects.
2. Cataracts or clouding of the eye's lens.
3. Retinitis pigmentosa, which occurs when dark pigment collects in your retina and creates tunnel vision.
4. Vitamin A Deficiency
5. Zinc Deficiency
6. Dry Eyes
7. Diabetes

Are the Symptoms of Night Blindness?
The sole symptom of night blindness is difficulty seeing in the dark. You're more likely to experience night blindness when your eyes transition from a bright environment to an area of low light, such as when you leave a sunny sidewalk to enter a dimly lit restaurant. You're likely to experience poor vision when driving due to the intermittent brightness of headlights and streetlights on the road.

How can I Prevent Night Blindness?
You can't prevent night blindness that's the result of birth defects or genetic conditions, such as Usher syndrome. You can, however, properly monitor your blood sugar level and eat a balanced diet to make night blindness less likely. 

Orange colored foods are excellent sources of vitamin A, including:
1. Cantaloupes
2. Sweet potatoes
3. Carrots
4. Pumpkins
5. Butternut squash
6. Mangoes

What are the Treatment Options for Night Blindness?
The treatment will depend on its causes.
1. Nutrient deficiency (Vitamin A and Zinc) is the easiest to treat. 
2. If the cause is cataract, you can go for cataract surgery to remove the clouded lens and replace it with artificial intraocular lens. Vision is usually dramatically improved after surgery. 
3. For dry eye syndrome, lubricate your eyes with artificial tear drops as they provide instant relief. Just make sure that they are without preservatives. 
4. Diabetic retinopathy can be prevented with tight control over blood sugar, active lifestyle and good dietary habits.
5. As for retinitis pigmentosa, unfortunately there are no treatments available. Thankfully, new research is showing that vitamin A might have a slowing effect on the progression of this eye disease.

Night Blindness: Causes and Symptoms

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

Eye allergy or allergic conjunctivitis is an eye disorder where inflammation of the conjunctiva in the eyes takes place. Eye allergies are different from contagious or bacterial conjunctivitis. Eye allergies are more likely to occur during the hot, summer season. Homeopathy medicines offer excellent treatment for eye allergies. Below listed are some homeopathic medicines, which cure eye allergies, along with the symptoms when they are prescribed.

Natural Homeopathic Remedies for Eye Allergies
Apis Mel: Apis Mel treats eye allergies characterized by a burning and stinging sensation in the eyes. Oedema accumulates around the eyes, and the eyelids become swollen and puffy. The watery discharge comes out of the eyes.
Euphrasia: This is an effective homeopathic medicine for treating eye allergies where there is an acrid discharge from the eyes. The discharge is acidic and burns the skin that comes in contact with the same. Burning pain in the eyes is indicated. The eyes become watery.
Argentum Nitricum: Argentum Nitricum is an effective homeopathic medicine used in case of eye allergies with an abundant, purulent discharge. The patient develops photophobia, and splinter like pain in the eyes is experienced. The conjunctiva swells.
Ruta: This is a fine homeopathic medicine for treating eye allergies where there is a sensation of the presence of a foreign body in the eyes. Indicated by severe eye irritation, the patient feels something like a dust particle is stuck in his eyes. The eyes become red and painful.
Pulsatilla: Pulsatilla is used when there is relief due to the application of cold water. Symptoms include discharge of a thick, yellow fluid from the eyes. Itching and burning are caused. The eyelids feel agglutinated.
Natural Home Remedies for Eye Allergies
Eye allergies problem can be treated with homeopathic medicines, these are home remedies are easily available and does not offer side effect to your precious eyes. Check out some natural home remedies used for eye problems such as allergies, redness, dryness, and Stinging problem:

Cold compress: Application of cold compress around the allergy affected area provides relief. Soak a cloth in cold water and apply it gently to the affected area. Chamomile tea bags can be used as a cold compress.
Cucumber: You can place round slices of cucumber over the allergy affected area on the eyes to get relief. Cucumbers contain anti-irritation properties, which help to reduce puffiness, swelling, and irritation in the eyes.
Rosewater: Rosewater is an effective natural remedy for eye allergies. It soothes and cools the eyes, and makes the eyes clear. Rosewater can be used as an eye drop.
Green tea: Green tea is completely natural and gives relief to eye allergies. It soothes the eyes and is anti-inflammatory in nature.
Eye allergies are common and affect people during summer the most. They may reoccur every year. Homeopathic and natural treatment methods for eye allergies are very efficient treatment procedures.

Eye Allergies - 5 Homeopathic Remedies For It

LASIK stands for Laser In-situ Keratomileusis. This is a common eye surgery that helps in correcting vision problems. During this procedure, the cornea of the eye is cut across by a medical expert to raise the tissues and reshape them to correct vision. LASIK is suitable for patients who have shortsightedness, long sightedness or who suffer from astigmatism.

Here are the 5 benefits that a LASIK surgery offers:

1. Improved vision

A study reveals that 95% of the people who underwent this surgery achieved uncorrected visual acuity of 20/40 and 85% of the people achieved 20/20 vision. This procedure ensures that a patient achieves enhanced vision.

2. Quick results and recovery

This surgery enables you to return to your normal schedule immediately the day after the surgery. You can have clear and improved vision within a day.

3. Long- lasting outcomes

A minimum timeframe of 3 months is required for the eyes to adjust, after which LASIK results are permanently noticeable in a patient. No follow up procedures are required unless something wrong went with the surgery. The patient will continue to have improved vision unless there is any normal loss due to illness or aging.

4. No need of glasses

You no longer require glasses as your vision turns to normal post-LASIK surgery.

5. Goodbye contact lenses

LASIK surgery will help eliminate the need for contacts. You will be able to avoid all the problems pertaining to wearing a contact lens, including lens solution.

5 Benefits of Lasik Surgery

Astigmatism is a typical vision problem that occurs when the shape of the cornea is distorted due to injuries or other causes. With astigmatism, the lenses of the eye or the cornea curves. This irregular curve can change the way light refracts or passes through your retina. This causes hazy, fluffy, or twisted vision. Farsightedness and partial blindness are two different sorts of issues with the way light goes to your retina. Farsightedness is called hyperopia. Partial blindness is called astigmatism.

Types: There are two types of Astigmatisms. These are:

1. Corneal astigmatism
It happens when your cornea itself is distorted.

2. Lenticular astigmatism
Lenticular astigmatism happens when your lens is distorted.

Risks: Astigmatism can happen in youngsters and grown-ups. Your danger of creating astigmatism might be higher if you have any of the following:

1. A family history of astigmatism or other eye issues like dislocation of the cornea.
2. Scarring or diminishing of your cornea
3. Excessive partial blindness, which makes foggy vision at a separation
4. Excessive farsightedness, which makes hazy close-up vision
5. A past of eye surgeries, for example, cataract surgery (surgical expulsion of a blurred focal point)

Symptoms; The side effects of astigmatism include:

1. Hazy, Bended, Or Fluffy Vision At All Separations (Close-Up And Far Away)
2. Trouble seeing during evening
3. Lazy eye
4. Squinting
5. Irritation in the eye
6. Cerebral Pains

Diagnosis:

Visual Acuity Assessment Test

Patients are required to read letters from a graph at a particular distance to decide how well they can see the letters.

Refraction Test

A refraction test uses a machine called an optical refractor. The machine has various remedial glass lenses that are used to read an outline while looking through lenses on the optical refractor.

Treatment:

Keratometry

Keratometry is a route for your specialist to measure the bend of your cornea. They will do this by taking a look at your eye through a keratometer.


Corrective Lenses

Remedial eyeglasses and contact lenses prescribed by a specialist are the most well-known and least obtrusive solution for astigmatism.


Orthokeratology

Orthokeratology is a treatment that uses contact lenses to correct the deformation and flow of your cornea. You will wear inflexible contact lenses for certain time-periods. It is easier to wear them while you are sleeping and remove them during the day.


Surgery

Your specialist may suggest refractive surgery if your case is a serious one. This kind of surgery includes use of lasers or little blades to reshape your cornea. This will correct astigmatism permanently. The three basic surgeries for astigmatism are:

1. Laser in situ keratomileusis (LASIK)
2. Photorefractive keratectomy (PRK)
3. Spiral keratotomy (RK).

All these surgeries might carry some risks depending upon the symptoms of your problem. As innovation advances, it is very important for the patient to explore more options before choosing which refractive surgery is a good fit for him or her.

Types and Treatment for Astigmatism

4 effective tips for improving your eyesight

You'd be shocked to know that 1/3rd of the blind people of the world are Indians, which amounts to about 15 million people in India alone. Moreover, the risk of cataract is also high in India, with about 3 million people developing this condition, annually. Even the number of people with power in their eyes in India has gone up considerably. Thus, proper eye care is the need of the hour.

Here are some useful tips to maintain your eyesight, while improving your overall eye health.

1. Ensure that your eyes remain hydrated
You can do so by drinking the standard 8-10 glasses of water a day. Moreover, opting for a pair of sunglasses having a UV filter also proves to be useful in this regard. The reason behind is that sunglasses prevent the wind from robbing the moisture away from your eyes. Alternatively, you can ask an optometrist to prescribe a simple saline solution to hydrate your eyes and give them a soothing feel.

2. Don't keep looking at the computer screen continuously
Staring at the computer screen for a long time at a stretch can affect your eyes negatively. So, implement the 20/20/20 rule into your daily routine. According to this rule, you should remove your gaze from the computer screen every 20 minutes and then direct your vision towards an object kept at a distance of 20 feet for 20 seconds. This break helps your eyes to relax and refocus, consequently avoiding the occurrence of blurry vision.

3. Give your body a balanced diet and correct amount of sleep
Ensure that your daily diet contains green, leafy vegetables and fruits and food rich in antioxidants. These food products help in improving your vision to a large extent. Moreover, sleep for around eight hours every night to prevent eyestrain.

4. Make it a daily habit to perform eye exercises
The most effective technique to naturally improve your eyesight is performing eye exercises. Regular eye exercises not only enhance your vision but also give strength to your eyes.

Here's a simple exercise you can try. This works by applying heat to your eyes in order to relax them. For this, you can rub your palms together till they become warm and then place them on your eyes. Let your palms remain there for 10 seconds and then open your eyes.

It is also very important that you take care of your existing health problems like diabetes, hypertension, neurological problems or allergies and be regular with exercising such that it keeps your body fit and does not bear any impact on other organs like eyes.

If you would like to consult with me privately, please click on 'consult'.
Related Tip: 7 Easy Ways to Get Relief from EveryDay Computer Eye Strain

Why India Has POOREST Eyesight? + 4 Tips for Improving Your Eyesight

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