Dr. Reema Das

The cornea is a highly organized and advanced tissue present in the eye. It is one of the few tissues in the body that doesn't contain any blood vessels. It nourishes itself from the aqueous humor (or tears). The cornea has three different layers with two membranes embedded in it. Every membrane has its own set of functions.

Here is a list of 10 important facts about the cornea and corneal diseases:

1. The cornea plays a pivotal role in helping the eye to focus on the light rays that enter it. Approximately 70 percent of the focusing power comes from the cornea. The cornea, along with the lens, is responsible for reflection and refraction in the eye.
2. The epithelium is the outermost layer of the cornea. It restricts the entry of foreign particles into the eye and absorbs oxygen. This membrane is followed by the Bowman's membrane. The third layer is known as the stroma. It is responsible for the eye's elasticity and strength. The fourth layer is called the Descemet's membrane. This is a protective layer that safeguards the eye from any injury. The last layer is known as the endothelium. The primary task of this layer is to pump excess fluid into the other layers of the eye.
3. Tears play a key role for an eye to function properly. Tears have three layers, namely lipid, aqueous and mucin. It helps the eye to heal any possible wounds and infection.
4. The cornea, for the most part, heals by itself. Deeper injuries of the cornea can result in vision loss. Some of the common symptoms of corneal diseases are light sensitivity, pain in the eye, redness and reduced vision.
5. The most common of eye allergies are caused due to pollen. This often happens when the weather is dry or warm. Some common symptoms include burning sensation, redness, tearing and stinging.
6. The eye encounters a condition called 'dry eye' wherein the quantity of tears reduces, thereby creating a problem for lubrication. An ophthalmologist should be immediately consulted if this condition is encountered.
7. Corneal dystrophy is a condition that clouds the cornea. It is a gradual progression and often affects both the eyes. It is usually inherited and can affect healthy individuals as well.
8. Keratoconus is an eye condition that thins the cornea over a period of time. It is mostly prevalent among young adults. This condition results in changing the shape of the cornea and development of an outward bulge.
9. Shingles is a recurrence of the viral infection caused by the Vatic El - La Zoster Virus. This virus has the capability to remain dormant inside the eye. It can become active after many years of dormancy and affect the cornea by travelling through the optic nerve. Doctors mostly prescribe an oral antiviral treatment to avoid inflammation.
10. Some advanced treatment for corneal diseases includes corneal transplant surgery, anterior lamellar keratoplasty and endothelial lamellar keratoplasty

We are surrounded by light from everywhere on all sides. Wherever we go, there is some source of light, be it natural or man made. However, exposure to bright light in excess can cause strain to your eyes and if this is continued your vision quality might decrease.

Here are some ways you can adjust light in order to lessen eye stress and to increase your visibility.

Make adjustments in your workplace

According to studies, it has been shown that half of people who work in front of computer screens every day suffer from eye strain. Not only the computer, but the entire lighting around your workstation may also be causing damage.
1. Reduce the brightness of interior lights. Many offices have bright, fancy interior lighting. Use of light bulbs and fluorescents should be lessened.
2. In case of the presence of a window right behind or in front of your work desk, more strain is imposed upon your eyes because of the reflections on the screen. You should change the place or use dark, thick curtains or coat the glasses with anti-reflective material in order to reduce the glare.
3. The blue light emitted from the computer causes a great amount of eye strain. You should adjust the brightness and keep it as low as possible.

Improve your home lighting

For people who spend a lot of time at home working, adjustments should be made to the lighting in order to reduce eye strain.
1. Avoid reading in a dim light room. This can give you headaches and produce eye strain. Any kind of activity where a lot of focus is required in dim or poorly lighted environments causes damage and strain to the eyes.
2. Use desk lamps, reading lamps, under cabinet lights in the kitchen and other types of lights everywhere you work.
3. If you work in a place for more than an hour, a nearby light would make it less stressful for the eyes.

For people with low vision.

1. For people with less power of vision, proper lighting is a must. A 60-year old man would need to double the amount of light to carry out any activity which a man of 30 years would require.
2. People having disorders such as macular degeneration, glaucoma and similar vision disorders need advanced lighting and should consult a doctor for ideas on improving their home lighting.

The presence of proper lighting improves our concentration, our ability to read, and we can differentiate between colors better. Therefore, always opt for the best lighting to avoid giving stress to your eyes.

If you have got diabetes, then it is quite natural that you will soon face acute eye troubles. This is the reason diabetic patients are always suggested to keep their blood sugar levels controlled so that eye troubles can be easily avoided.

Thorough medical check-up is required in order to detect conditions of the eyes. Some of the commonest eye troubles occurring due to diabetes are cataract, glaucoma, blurry vision, diabetic retinopathy and others. 

List of eye diseases caused by diabetes

-  Diabetic retinopathy: when retina'  s smallest blood-vessels get severely damaged due to increased blood-sugar, then this kind of eye condition occurs. Early detection of this eye condition can save your 
eyes, but if it is too late, then nothing can be done, and it might even lead to blindness. 

-  Cataract: Fogging or clouding condition can bring this kind of condition, and this can only be corrected by wearing proper corrective lenses.  However, if you fail to control diabetes, then in spite of wearing glasses, your eye condition might get deteriorated day by day. Glared or blurred vision is the commonest symptom in this regard. 

 

-  Glaucoma: When the eye-fluid is not drained properly, then this kind of eye trouble occurs. In fact, eye pressure increases to a great extent as a result of which delicate eye nerves can get severely damaged. The blood vessels of the eyes can get clogged causing greater interruption in vision. Medicines can make aqueous humor to get drained in a proper manner, and thus you should go for a proper eye check-up so that you can acquire the requisite medicines. Some popular symptoms of glaucoma are headaches, eye aches, blurred vision, watery eyes, vision loss and others. 

-  Diabetic macular-edema:  This eye disease mainly occurs in the advanced stage of diabetic-retinopathy. Macula is nothing but the most delicate part of retina and when it gets swollen, then you might face this eye trouble. Only medications can help you to get rid of the same and thus immediate medical help is needed. 

-  Blurry vision: Though this is quite a small and temporary eye issue for diabetic patients, but this condition might turn into a serious one if you neglect to correct the same in the very beginning. You might even face blindness due to negligence of this trouble. Also, fluctuating sugar-levels should be stabilized so that this kind of trouble can be easily tackled. In case you have a concern or query you can always consult an expert & get answers to your questions!

There are a number of eye conditions that make the use of glasses and eye lenses mandatory for a more comfortable life where your vision is as normal as is medically possible. Poor eyesight and conditions like inward eyelids and others can lead to the prescription of contact lenses and glasses. Contact lenses are delicate optical tools that glide easily over your eyes and need a lot of care. One should also know how to wear them properly. If one does not wear and care for the contact lenses properly, it may lead to a variety of complications. Read on to know how you can take better care of your contact lenses.

Cleanliness: To begin with, keeping the lenses clean is of utmost importance. Since these lenses will go on to the eye and remain there for most part of the day, it is imperative that they should be clean so that no dirt comes to settle on the eye to cause complications and even possible infections in the long run. While the disposable soft contact lenses do not need a whole lot of care as they can be disposed as and when the wearer needs a new pair, the soft lenses are the ones that need regular care so as to avoid vision affecting problems in the long run.

Clean Hands: Before you handle the contact lenses, you must wash and clean your hands thoroughly with a non cosmetic soap that is free of additives like fragrances and artificial perfumes, oils and other lotions. These may get transferred to the lens which will leave you with blurry vision. Dry your hands properly using a lint free towel.

Makeup: If you have to wear makeup, we would suggest doing so after you have safely installed the contact lenses in your eyes. Also, you must remember to remove your lenses before you begin the makeup removal procedure. This is to be done so that you do not get any makeup on to the delicate surface of the lens.

Disinfecting Solution: When you buy your contact lenses, you will also get a disinfecting solution as well as a set of instructions for taking care of your lenses. So ensure that you use the correct disinfecting solution, eye drops as well as the prescribed enzymatic cleaners to keep your lenses clean and free of germs with a light rubbing action. Let the lenses stand in this solution at night too so that the germs cannot travel to the surface.
Never use tap water or your mouth to clean these lenses as the microorganisms found even in distilled water can latch on to the surface. In case you have a concern or query you can always consult an expert & get answers to your questions!

If you thought smoking was causing damage to only your lungs, thing again. Your eyesight, one of your most valuable possessions, is at high risk of damage because of your bad habit.
The damage done to your eyes by cigarettes happens from two sources; the toxic smoke that hangs in the air which surrounds you as you puff on the cigarettes and 4000 odd toxic substances that enter your bloodstream once you smoke. In extreme cases, smoking also causes loss in vision. Here is a list of eye disorders and diseases, which can be caused due to smoking-

Macular degeneration
The risk of developing Age-related Macular Degeneration is there for people above the age of fifty. In case of smokers, the chance of developing AMD is three times more than in nonsmokers. It has been proven that smokers develop the chance of AMD ten years prior to non smokers.

Cataract
This process involves the clouding of the lens inside the eye. Cataract develops with old age, usually. The risk of developing early cataract is common among smokers, who are twice at risk of cataract than non smokers. The effect of the cataract in the case of smokers is more severe.

Glaucoma
Glaucoma is the eye disorder where the death of nerve fiber layer behind our eyes takes place, and that results in loss of vision. The increase in pressure within the eyes leads to glaucoma. Smoking enhances the pressure in your eyes, and so smokers are at a potential risk of acquiring this disease.

Diabetic eye diseases
A number of eye diseases are accompanied with diabetes. This can result in blindness when left ignored or not paid attention to in severe cases. Diabetic patients who are smokers are three times more at a risk of eye diseases associated with diabetes.

Optic neuropathy
This eye disease causes sudden loss of vision to the eyes without any pain. It happens due to the disrupted flow of blood in the arteries of the eyes. Smokers are 16 times more at a risk of developing optic neuropathy at an earlier age.

Thyroid associated eye diseases
Patients having thyroid issues or Grave's disease have disorders in their vision. Grave's disease patients who smoke tobacco are likely to develop severe eye diseases associated with the thyroid.

Dry eye
Smoking causes irritation to the eyes and affects the tear film of the eye. Smokers and passive smokers are likely to develop dry eye disorders. Smoking causes a lot of eye diseases and disorders, and smokers are at a higher risk of acquiring eye diseases than non smokers.

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:

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.

Refractive Amblyopia:

• 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.
• 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.

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. In case you have a concern or query you can always consult an expert & get answers to your questions!

A cataract is defined as a clouding of lens in the eye where your vision gets blurred. A cataract affects the eyes, when light that passes through the lens prevents a clearly formed image from reaching your retina. The disease is very common and usually develops as your eyes age or due to any injury caused to the tissues that cover your eye's lens.

Types of cataracts:

1. Senile Cataract: This is the commonest of all. It is age-related clouding of the lens. It can affect the near or distance vision and can also cause glare and change in glasses power.
2. Secondary Cataract: It can be developed after surgery for other eye problems like glaucoma and other health conditions such as diabetes.
3. Traumatic Cataract: It can develop many years later after an injury caused to your eye.
4. Congenital Cataract: As the term explains, the disease may be inborn or some children might develop it at a later stage which often affects both eyes. 
5. Radiation Cataract: It can form after you are exposed to some form of radiation.

A cataract surgery involves the extraction or cleaning of the cloudy lens, which is then replaced by a clear artificial lens.

Why does it happen? 

There are lens that lies behind our iris and pupil which act much like a camera lens. It helps concentrate light onto the retina at the back of our eye to form a sharply defined image. Besides, the lens also helps our eyes to adjust focus and allows us to see things clearly both far away and up close. The lens is composed of protein and water where the protein is arranged in a manner to keep the lens clear thereby letting light pass through it. 

However, as we grow old, some of the protein starts to become thick and cloud a small lens area. This is known as a cataract. With the passage of time, it may inflate and cover more of the lens, making it difficult for us to see.

Besides, there are other causes of cataract such as smoking, addiction of alcohol, prolonged sunlight exposure, to name a few. 

When should you opt for a cataract surgery?

Believe it or not, but till date no eye drop or medication has proven to reverse or prevent the formation of a cataract. If a cataract is affecting your nearsightedness or alteration in your prescription, then new prescription eyeglasses may help to better your blurred vision. However, the only treatment for a cataract is the surgical removal of your natural lens. And, most eye doctors recommend this surgery only when the problem becomes severe and starts hampering your day-to-day activities, such as studying or driving at night.

In case you have a concern or query you can always consult an expert & get answers to your questions!

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.

In case you have a concern or query you can always consult an expert & get answers to your questions!

Hypermetropia, commonly known as long-sightedness, is a common vision condition in which distant objects appear clear, but nearby objects seem blurry or foggy. A person's ability to focus is greatly dependent on the degree of farsightedness. This condition of the eye is usually observed at birth and is also hereditary to some extent. Although, contact lenses and eye glasses are common methods of treatment, surgeries are also an option.

Before getting to understand the causes one should be aware of the structure of the eye.

The eye has two parts that focus on images:

- The clear surface at the front of the eye known as the cornea

- The second part is the lens, which is a clear structure

In a normal eye, these clear surfaces have a smooth curvature. The cornea and the lens bend or refract the incoming light to direct a sharply focused image on the retina, situated at the back of your eye.

Hypermetropia is caused when:

- The cornea or lens in the eye is not even or smoothly curved. In such cases, light rays are focussed behind retina which gives a blurry vision.

- The condition can also occur when the cornea of the eye is not curved enough. A shorter than the normal eye can also lead to such a condition. Convergent squint with eyes turning in is common in hypermetropes.

Due to these factors, the image is not precisely focused on the retina, causing blurry vision for nearby objects.

Some of the symptoms of farsightedness include:

- Objects that are close may appear blurry or cloudy

- Squinting the eyes might be necessary for viewing clearly

- A person may experience strain in the eye, aching and even inflammation in and around the eye

- Prolonged periods of close task like reading, writing or drawing may cause discomfort in the eye or minor headaches

Chronic eye strain and cross eyes are some of the commonly observed complications. If you wish to discuss about any specific problem, you can consult an Ophthalmologist.

You never tend to pay a lot of attention to your eyes unless they are affected by some serious disorder or unless your vision is disrupted. But did you know that your eyes are capable of doing much more than you can imagine? here are 10 surprising facts about your eyes you didn't know about.

1. How intricate!

Your eyes take more than 2 million working parts to function. No wonder your eyes are the second most complex organ of your body after your brain.

2. A lot depends on them

As much as 80% of your memories are determined by what you see. Also, 80% of what you learn is because of your eyes.

3. Retina and security

The iris of your eyes has approximately 256 unique characteristics, which is more than even your fingerprints. This is the reason why retina scans are used so widely today for security purposes.

4. It's a colourful world

Your eyes can distinguish between approximately 10 million different colours. And women with a particular kind of genetic mutation can see millions of more colours.

5. Upside-down

The retina of your eyes receives the vision of the outside world as upside down. It is your brain, which flips the image for you so that you can see the world as it is.

6. Sunscreen for the eyes?

It is possible for your eyes to get sunburnt. Therefore, it is advisable for you to wear sunglasses in order to protect your eyes from the ultraviolet radiations.

7. Godspeed!

The eye muscle is the muscle that reacts at the fastest rate out of all the other muscles in your body. It can contract in less than even 1/100th of a second.

8. Paint it red?

The retina of your eyes cannot detect the red colour. The retinas do have green, red and blue receptors, but the red receptor can detect only the colour yellow-green and the green one can recognise blue-green. It is your brain that combines these signals to give you the impression of the colour red.

9. Dreams and sight

Even if you become blind later in life, you can see images in your dreams if you were born with sight.

10. We are blink-eyed peas

You blink approximately 17 times every minute. That makes it 5.2 million times in a year. 

In case you have a concern or query you can always consult an expert & get answers to your questions!