Posted on

Kitchen Eye Safety Tips

eye hospital in Kolkata

Apart from workshops and playgrounds, the kitchen is where you stand at a greater risk of getting your eye injured. There are a number of potential threats in the kitchen such as sharp objects and irritants that pose a risk of eye injury. So, you need to work safely when in the kitchen to prevent eye injuries.

Here is an interesting read about tips for eye safety while in the kitchen.

1) Wash your hands after every task

When in the kitchen, you have to handle a number of items such as cooking oil, spices, cleaning chemicals, etc. If you touch your eyes after handling any one of these items, you will irritate your eyes. As a result, you may experience pain, tearing, redness, and even temporary vision blurriness.

Spices such as peppers contain a fiery oil known as capsaicin (which is used to make pepper spray). To avoid this, make sure that you wash your hands with soap or cleaning lotion every time you finish cutting down veggies and spices or after preparing any food.

Also, avoid rubbing the eyes further if you have already caused irritation by touching them with your hands. Instead, splash water into the eyes to flush out the irritants. Wearing gloves while working with foods and other items that pose eye irritation risk is another good way to ensure the safety of your eyes.

2) Hot oil and other cooking liquids in the eyes

You are always at the risk of eye injury while preparing food. For instance, hot cooking oil or cooking liquids such as gravy may splatter onto your eyes while cooking a meal. Such hot liquids can blister or burn the eyes, and as a result, you may experience extreme pain, vision blurriness, and redness.

In case of such scenario, wash your eyes to flush out the oil or cooking liquid. Don’t use anti-irritation eye drops as they can cause more redness and/or irritation. If the pain and irritation persists, see an eye care professional immediately.

Wearing safety glasses while cooking would be uncommon, but is definitely helpful in ensuring the safety of your eyes. One good way to avoid hot oils getting into your eyes is to cover the dishes with the pan lid.

3) Eye injury risks with sharp culinary tools

Culinary tools such as knives, forks, sporks, scissors, corkscrew, and can openers pose the risk of eye injuries. So, you should be extra careful while working with these culinary tools. Your children are at more risk of eye injuries from these culinary tools as they can be playful in the kitchen.

Eye injuries caused by such culinary tools can involve serious cuts, bruises, eye inflammation, vision blurriness, irritation, and redness. To take safety precautions, consider covering such culinary tools, or make sure that you buy the ones that come with safety covers. You can even store these culinary items in a specific area in the kitchen and mark them as hazardous. This way, you can prevent your kids from playing with these tools.

4) Don’t use any food as medicines

According to age-old myths, there are some foods which you can use as medicines to treat your eyes from several problems. From a scientific point of view, this is not true and instead, is risky for the eyes.

Such myths include curing pinkeye with tea and changing the eye colour with honey. These practices are harmful to the eyes as introducing any foreign substance into the eyes can create a number of problems such as irritation, redness, blurry vision, infection, and even allergy.

If you use food products for cosmetic purpose on the skin around your eyes, make sure that you don’t get them in your eyes.

5) Falls and eye injuries

When in the kitchen you’re at risk of falls and you may end up with eye injuries. Items in the kitchen such as open cabinets, liquid spills on the floor, and loose rugs pose tripping hazard.

Young children and the elderly are at a greater risk of eye injuries from falls. There are instances when you rush in the kitchen while cooking for the guests in the home. In such case, you may trip and fall and cause injury to your eyes. To avoid this, make sure that you make your kitchen a safe environment before you start working not just for yourself, but also for the elderly and children in your home.

Make sure that you keep the kitchen floor clutter-free, wipe off oil spills immediately, and don’t keep rugs in the kitchen or even if you do, make sure that it’s not loose or slippery.

6) Take precautions while cutting onions

It’s a common scenario in the kitchen to cause irritation to the eyes while cutting onions. Fortunately, there are several ways how you can avoid this. First off, make sure that you chill or freeze the onions prior to cutting them. The compounds that irritate the eyes release into the air at a warm temperature. The release of these tear-inducing chemicals can be lowered by keeping the onions at a lower temperature.

Another way to avoid irritation in your eyes cost by onions is to store them in water for at least 3 to 4 hours prior to cutting them. The tear-inducing compounds will get mixed with water and thus will not release when you cut them. You can also be extra careful by putting on safety glasses while cutting onions.

7) Risk of eye injuries from sleep deprivation and alcohol abuse

There are people who enjoy drinking while preparing food in the kitchen. If you are one of those, then you are at a greater risk of getting your eyes injured by being reckless while working with sharp utensils and culinary tools. When you drink and cook, you can also put others at risk.

Similarly, you can put yourself at a greater risk of eye injuries when you’re spending time in the kitchen while being sleep deprived. Your response time to accidents such as hitting your head in an open cabinet or slipping on the floor can get delayed when you are sleep deprived.

8) Steak and black eyes

There is a myth that you should put a raw steak take on a black eye to cure it. This is totally not safe for your eyes as raw meat contains organisms which can cause severe infection. In case you have a black eye, use ice packs to relieve the pain. Or if it’s severe, consult an eye care professional.

9) Risk of eye injuries with cleaning products

Cleaning products such as chemical cleaners, bleaches, and varnishes can cause serious injuries such as inflammation, irritation, redness, blurry vision, and even blindness in some cases. Such cleaning products contain harmful chemicals and pose a great risk of serious eye injuries.

In case cleaning products get into your eyes and cause irritation, rinse your eyes with water thoroughly. Apart from you, your children are also at a high risk of getting their eyes injured from cleaning products. To avoid this, make sure that you are extra careful while working with it. Also, keep the cleaning products out of reach of children.

10) Label all the items in your kitchen

One of the best ways to avoid eye and other injuries with the elderly and children in your kitchen is to label items as safe and hazardous. For instance, label cleaning products, spices, and sharp culinary tools as risky (probably with a warning sign). This way, the elderly and children can stay safe from eye and other injuries.

11) Use durable and leak-proof food containers

There may be a scenario where you might drop spices or other food items in your face and eyes while reaching out to a container on the top shelf. To avoid such cases, make sure that you always store spices and other food items in containers that are durable, leak-proof, and have lids that are sealable.

12) Risk of eye injuries from steam

Steam can cause severe eye injuries such as irritation, redness, blurry vision, and inflammation. You stand at a higher risk of getting your eyes injured from steam while preparing dishes such as rice and dal.
Make sure that you keep a distance while letting out the steam. You can even wear safety glasses while doing so. Avoid staying near to the cooking pot while letting the steam out.

13) Risk of eye injuries from insect repellent

Most people keep repellents such as sprays to ward off mouse and insects from the kitchen premises. Although this is good hygiene practice, insect and mouse repellents pose risks of eye injuries.

Such repellents contain harmful chemicals which, if comes in contact with the eyes, can cause serious injuries such as irritation, blurry vision, inflammation, redness, and even infection. Make sure that you wear protection such as gloves, masks, and safety eyeglasses while using the repellents. Also, wash your hands thoroughly after using repellents as you don’t want to touch your eyes with the contaminated hands.

Get your eye health checked

Are you concerned regarding your eye health? If yes, then get your eyes checked thoroughly with our eye care experts at Disha Eye Hospital.

Posted on

17 Interesting Facts on Eye Chart

Low visual acuity is one of the most common eye problems people face worldwide. An eye chart is the most common diagnostic tool used to test the visual acuity. In fact, there’s no other better way to test visual acuity and diagnose vision errors than through eye chart
Interested in knowing more about eye chart? Here’s a 5-minute read on some of the amazing facts about eye chart. Continue reading “17 Interesting Facts on Eye Chart”

Posted on

Teens and Contact Lens: Useful Guide for Parents from Disha Eye Hospital

eye care professionals

Are your teenagers tired of wearing heavy spectacles? Are they asking for switching to contact lenses? It’s usual for the teenagers to feel that clunky and thick glasses cramp their style.

By the time the children turn 13, they become aware of the way they look. And as parents, we understand that you are concerned about your teen’s eyes, and so we are too! That’s why we have tried to address your concerns in this guide.

Let’s dive in.

Wearing Contact Lenses: What’s the ideal Age?

The issue is not the age but it’s whether they are mature enough to handle the responsibility that comes with wearing lenses. Usually, eye care professionals never recommend contact lenses to kids until they are at least 13 years old.

It’s because younger kids aren’t mature enough to handle contact lenses properly. It is often suggested that if you are considering contact lenses for your teen, it’s important that you first evaluate how they handle their responsibilities, especially personal hygiene.

You need to be vigilant about whether your teen is handling the contact lenses properly or not. Kids and teens often tend to moisten the lenses using saliva or buy coloured lenses from beauty stores just for the sake of fashion.

These are extremely dangerous behaviour and can put their eye safety at stake. If only the teen is mature enough to care for the lens properly and use it as per the recommendation of the eye care specialist, you may consider allowing them to use contacts.

Determining the Best Contact lenses for your teenager

There are a number of factors that should be considered to determine which contact lenses suit your teen. But before that, let’s take a look at the type of contact lenses that are available.

Types of Contact Lenses

There are several varieties of lenses to choose from:

  • Soft contact lenses: Most of the people opt for soft lenses as these are comfortable to wear. People who have sensitive eyes can easily wear soft lenses. Standard soft lenses can correct vision issues such as farsightedness and nearsightedness. Specially designed soft contact lenses are known as Toric Contact Lenses and can also correct Astigmatism.
  • Gas permeable (GP) contact lenses. These lenses are made of a rigid plastic that’s oxygen-permeable. These lenses do not allow oxygen to reach your lenses. These lenses provide sharp vision than soft lenses but these take longer to adjust. These lenses can correct farsightedness, nearsightedness, and astigmatism.
  • Hybrid contact lenses. The central part of these lenses is made of a GP material. This gives you a crisp vision. The central part is surrounded by a soft lens that allows you great comfort. These lenses can correct astigmatism, farsightedness, and nearsightedness.
  • Daily wear Contact lenses. These lenses come in categories such as extended wear, planned replacement, disposable and daily wear contacts.
  • Contact lenses with sun protection. There are many lenses that safeguard your eyes from UV rays. However, if you are using these lenses, always use UV protected sunglasses while stepping out in the sun.
  • Tinted Contact lenses. There are many contact lenses that have a light “handling tint.” These are colour enhancing lenses and can give change the appearance and colour of your eye lenses.Teens who do not have vision issues can also use coloured lenses. Particularly, if they are into sports, there are lenses available with a special tint that can increase contrast. So, your teen can see the baseball or tennis ball clearly. Before wearing any lens, always consult an eye care expert.
  • Customised contacts. These contact lenses are used to mask scars or corneal irregularities cause by eye disease or injury.

How to determine the type of contacts your teen needs?

Consider these factors while selecting the best contact lenses:

  • Choose extended wear contacts if your teen has the habit of wearing lenses for long hours and forgets to take them out before sleeping. However, not all eyes can tolerate extended wear lenses.
  • Bifocal or multifocal contact lenses can be used if your teen has presbyopia. However, if these are of not much help, consult the doctor and see if your teen has monovision or not. In that case, the doctor may suggest monofocal lenses for one eye with distance vision and another lens for near vision.
  • If your teen wants the sharpest possible vision but cannot wear gas permeable lenses comfortably, then go for hybrid contact lenses.

Consult an Optometrist or Ophthalmologist before selecting any contact lenses for your teen’s eyes.

Talk to the doctor. See what he/she suggest. If they suggest your teen to wear a disposable lens then always go for daily disposable soft lenses instead of the cheaper disposable lenses that are usually worn for two weeks before disposing off.

Taking care of these lenses is simple. Your kid need not disinfect and clean them daily. Moreover, your kid will learn how to wear them in and take them off faster if they have to change it every day.

What about Decorative Contact Lenses? Are they good for your Teen?

Coloured and cosmetic contacts have fast become a teenage fad. And it’s usual for you to be concerned about your kid’s vision. Your teenager child may want lens colours like his/her favourite actress or actor.

But it has to be kept in mind that using coloured lenses without consulting an eye specialist can be risky. Low-quality lenses may cause injury, serious eye infection, and even vision loss.

Coloured or decorative contact lenses can change the way the eyes look. For instance, if the eye lenses are black, using coloured lenses you may turn them blue, brown, or green. However, these lenses do not correct vision. Never buy coloured contact lenses from flea markets or beauty stores and without prescription. It comes with numerous risk factors.

Contact lenses not only help the teenager see better but also makes them feel better. Glasses often block the peripheral vision or the side vision. This can be problematic for them.

With contact lenses, peripheral vision won’t be an issue. Also, glasses go out of style with changing fashion norms (in case your teenager is fashion conscious). Some may not like wearing glasses at all, especially when their vision issue is severe and they are using super-thick glasses.
Often they might get ridiculed for it. Contact lenses are an effective solution for it. However, in any case, contact lenses should not be considered as a fashion accessory.

Decorative Lenses: Know the Risks

Wearing decorative contact lenses is risky. Even if your kid is using contact lenses for vision correction, not using them properly can cause serious damage to the eyes.

The risk includes:

  • Corneal Abrasion (A scratch or cut on the cornea, the topmost layer of your eye)
  • Itchiness and redness of eyes
  • Excessive tearing
  • Hazy vision
  • Infection
  • Blindness

Eye infection is pretty common when your teen wears any type of lens without any prescription or without consulting the doctor. Rush to the eye specialist immediately of they complain of:

  • Redness
  • Pain in the eye(s) that won’t go away for long
  • Hazy or blurred vision

These are symptoms of eye infection and if not treated properly, it might even cause complications and even blindness.

Ensure that your teenage kid is following the doctor’s instruction regarding cleaning, disinfecting, and wearing the lenses.

Taking Care of Contact Lenses: the Do’s and Don’ts

If your teenager is considering wearing contact lenses then ensure that they should be following these tips:

Do’s

  • Ensure that they always wash and rinse their hands properly before handling the lenses or before touching the eyes. For washing the hands, they must use mild non-cosmetic soap. It important to dry the hands with tissues or a lint-free cloth before handling the lenses.
  • After removing the lenses, ensure that they clean their lenses as instructed by the eye care practitioner. Never use anything except the recommended solution to do so.
  • At least once in a week, clean the lens storage case with warm water. Make sure to rinse them properly and wipe dry with clean tissue.
  • When handling lenses always make sure to work over a clean flat surface. Never handle the lens over a sink and even if you do, plug in the sink first.
  • If you drop your lenses, clean and rinse them thoroughly (using the solution) before wearing them.
  • Consult an eye care expert if your teen experiences pain, discomfort, redness, excessive tearing for no apparent reason. These are symptoms of an eye infection.
  • Always replace the lens solution one month after opening. Throw it away even if you haven’t finished the container.
  • Let you teen carry the storage case and solution with them wherever they go.
  • Always keep their eyeglasses up-to-date so that they may use them in case the lens is broken or if they have lost them or have been advised to not use them for a certain period of time.
  • Do not let any chemical get into their eyes. Ask your teenage child to close their eyelids while using hairsprays and any other cosmetic sprays. These sprays may form a residual layer on the lens.
  • Ask them to always wear goggles when swimming while wearing contact lenses. Ask them to wear protective glasses or sunglasses in situations when there are chances of dust, sand particles and grit entering the eyes. For instance, wearing protective glasses is a must while gardening, riding bikes, sanding etc.
  • In case foreign material has entered their eyes, ask them to clean and replace the lens. If you aren’t sure that the dust particle is removed, avoid rubbing the eye and immediately contact the eye care specialist.

Don’ts

  • Do not wear lenses if you are not feeling well.
  • Never wear lenses if your eyes are unusually red, itchy, and uncomfortable
  • Never put a lens in your mouth or use saliva for cleaning or lubricating them.
  • Do not use tap water for cleaning lenses. Never soak them in water or rinse them.
  • Avoid rubbing your eyes while wearing lenses.
  • Avoid mixing up your lenses. Your teenager might get confused when using a lens for the first time. The best way to avoid this confusion is to always wear the right lens first. Ensure that it sits safely on your eye or in the storage case before trying out the left one.
  • Avoid exposing the lenses or storage case to extreme temperature or heat.
  • Never apply eye makeup inside the waterline. Teenage girls must use eye makeup sparingly if wearing lenses. Even if they are applying then they should do it on the upper lid only.
  • Do not swap contact lenses with anyone and know when to replace a contact lens.
  • Always ask your teenage daughter to use hypoallergenic skin products and products that are specially made for those who wear contact lenses. Also, ask them to always put eye makeup after wearing the lenses and not before them. This saves the lenses from chemical contamination.

If your teenage kids have seasonal allergies, then wearing lenses is not recommended for them. An ophthalmologist or eye care practitioner is the best person to guide you in this regard. Get in touch with the best eye care professionals at Disha Eye Hospital. Contact us today at http://www.dishaeye.org/appointment.

Posted on

Facts on Diabetic Eye Diseases

glaucoma treatment in Kolkata

Do you have diabetes? If yes, then take care of your eyes. It’s because vision problems are one of the most significant complications caused by diabetes and is a common cause of blindness.

Poorly managed diabetes can affect the lens, macula, retina, and optic nerve in your eyes and may cause permanent blindness. This is why it’s important to understand how this condition may affect your eyes.
The most common and serious eye condition caused by diabetes is diabetic retinopathy. However, diabetes causes a number of other eye conditions as well.

How diabetes affects your vision?

Diabetes may affect your vision (in severe cases) and may not, but in any case, it will affect your eyes and the way it functions. This is especially when your blood sugar levels are uncontrollably high. Here’s how it affect your eyes:

  1. Any changes in your blood sugar levels have an impact on your lens. This may blur your vision and as such, you may face difficulty in your day-to-day activities, depending on the blood sugar levels. It’s not necessary that people with diabetes will develop an eye condition. It all depends on your sugar level.
  2. Diabetes also makes your eye lens cloudy. This condition is called cataract. This happens when your eye lens swells due to high levels of blood glucose in the fluid around your eye lens. As a result, the area around the lens has more water than usual and it cannot focus the light properly on the retina. People with diabetes stand at a higher risk of developing cataract at an earlier age than non-diabetic people.
  3. Diabetic people may also develop glaucoma, an eye condition that damages the optic nerve. Elevated blood sugar levels may raise the ocular pressure (pressure inside your eyes) and result in glaucoma.
  4. Diabetes can also affect the flow of blood in your eyes. It may cause blockage in the vessels obstructing the flow of blood to your retina. This blockage can also cause leakage or cause unnatural growth in the vessels. All these conditions cause different types of retinopathy. This condition can turn worse, depending on the severity of the changes in the eye blood vessels.

Eye condition caused by diabetes

The World Health Organisation identifies diabetes as a major cause of blindness all over the globe. It is estimated that by 2030, the number of people suffering from diabetic retinopathy (DR) will rise to 191.0 million and the number of people suffering from vision-threatening diabetic retinopathy including Proliferative and Non-proliferative DR, and Diabetic Macular Edema (DME) may rise to 56.3 million.

Source: http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/ceo.12696/pdf

Here’s a brief overview of eye conditions caused by diabetes:

5. Diabetic Retinopathy

Diabetic Retinopathy is of several types, depending on the level at which the blood vessels in your eyes are affected. This includes:

  • Background Diabetic Retinopathy

This type of retinopathy does not usually affect your eyesight. Your eyes develop this condition when there is a blockage in your capillaries in the retina. This causes the capillaries to swell which is known as microaneurisms.

A microaneurism may also leak blood or a fluid known as exudate. These changes in the eyes don’t affect the vision immediately but the eye doctor needs to monitor it regularly so that the condition doesn’t get worse.

  • Proliferative diabetic retinopathy

The blood vessels in the retina help in delivering oxygen to your retina for its proper functioning. If background retinopathy gets worse, these blood vessels may get completely damaged. As a result, a large section of your retina is affected and the blood supply to the retina is reduced.

This condition is known as ischaemia where particular areas in your retina are deprived of the oxygen they require. Your body then tries to fix this issue by growing new blood vessels on the surface of the retina or the vitreous gel. However, these blood vessels are extremely weak and as such, they bleed causing haemorrhages.

Such haemorrhages can completely block your vision as your retinopathy enters a proliferative stage. In many cases, with time, the blood might get reabsorbed into your body and there is a chance for your vision to improve. But chances are high that these haemorrhages will keep resurfacing and the blood may not be absorbed completely.

This may lead to permanent vision loss. If the haemorrhages are large, it can also scar the tissue. As the retina shrinks, the scar tissues may distort the retina or pull it on. As a result, the retina may get detached and cause serious vision loss.

  • Diabetic maculopathy and diabetic macular edema

When the retinopathy affects your macula, it causes Diabetic Maculopathy. This condition affects your central vision which is important for seeing colours and other fine detail.

As a result,  it becomes difficult for you to carry on precision tasks such as writing, reading and seeing other detail. If the fluid leakage is near the macula, the accumulation of fluid can result in macular swelling. This condition is known as diabetic macular edema. This makes your eyesight blurred and distorted. Even the colours may appear washed out.

6. Cataract

It’s through the lens that your eyes focus on an image and see. This lens is usually clear and free of any debris. Now, when you have a cataract, the lens becomes cloudy. Anyone can develop this condition but diabetic people tend to get them earlier compared to non-diabetic.

Also, cataract in a diabetic eye worsens faster. If your eye lens is cloudy, it cannot focus on images as it should. Common symptoms of cataract include blurry vision and light sensitivity. Cataract can be removed by surgery. The doctor will remove the cloudy lens and replace it with an artificial lens.

If you are diabetic the odds of developing the eye condition depends completely on your blood glucose levels.  The lens of your eyes derives nutrients from the aqueous humour. This is the front part of your eye which is filled with fluid. Aqueous humour supplies oxygen and glucose to your eyes. Glucose is essential for proper functioning of the cells.

However, if the glucose levels are uncontrolled, the sugar content in your aqueous humour also increases causing it to swell and affects the clarity of your vision. The lens also has an enzyme that helps in converting glucose into sorbitol. When sorbitol accumulates in the lens, it affects the lens cells and other naturally-occurring proteins. As a result, the lens becomes more opaque. This condition eventually results in cataract formation.

7. Glaucoma

The relationship between diabetes and open-angle glaucoma is subject to research. Diabetic people are more likely to develop glaucoma compared to non-diabetics. Diabetes is also associated with a rare type of glaucoma known as neovascular glaucoma.

In some cases of diabetic retinopathy, the blood vessels in the retina are destroyed and as a result, the retina develops abnormal blood vessels. Neovascular glaucoma develops when new blood vessels grow on your iris. This obstructs the flow of fluid in your eyes, raising the eye pressure. This condition is difficult to treat; however, laser surgery can help in reducing the proliferation of abnormal blood vessels on the iris and your retina.

The doctor may prescribe medication for treating open-angle glaucoma. This is the most common form of glaucoma. Medicines can be used to lower eye pressure, reduce the amount of fluid in your eyes, and speed up the drainage process. Open-angle glaucoma usually doesn’t cause any symptom unless it has progressed to an advanced stage. A comprehensive eye examination is the only way to determine whether you have open-angle glaucoma or not.

You may notice these symptoms:

•    Headaches
•    Halos around lights
•    Blurred vision
•    Eye aches or pain
•    Vision loss
•    Watery eyes

How to prevent diabetic eye condition?

If your blood sugar levels are under control, you won’t have any problems in your vision. Even if you have, they won’t be severe. And that is why visiting an eye specialist from time to time is essential. This is the only way to find out whether your eyes are affected or not. The doctor may do the following tests and screening:

8. Diabetic Eye Screening

With early intervention, most of the diabetes-related eye conditions can be treated. And a thorough eye screening is the best way to detect any abnormality caused by diabetes. A comprehensive screening is essential during early stages of diabetic eye conditions as they don’t have any primary symptoms (except cataract). By the time the symptoms become noticeable, the condition becomes worse and difficult to treat.

During diabetic eye screening, the doctor will put an eye drop for enlarging the pupils. It takes 15-20 minutes and during that time, your vision is temporarily blurred. After that, the doctor takes photographs of your retina. The camera won’t touch your eyes and there will be several flashes each time a photograph is taken.

The light is pretty bright and the eye drops may make your eyes a bit stingy. Depending on the type of eye drops used, the haziness of your vision may last from two to six hours. After the screening procedure, everything around you may feel a bit bright. Do not worry, your vision will get normal soon after some time.

9. Photocoagulation (Scatter and Focal) and Vitrectomy

Scatter and Focal photocoagulation and vitrectomy help in preventing blindness in most of the cases. The sooner your condition is diagnosed, higher the chances that the treatment will be successful. In photocoagulation, the eye doctor will use a laser beam for making small burns on your retina. These burns seal the blood vessels, preventing further growth and leakage.

In scatter photocoagulation, which is also known as pan-retinal photocoagulation, the eye specialist will make hundreds of such burns in dotted patterns. This procedure reduces your chances and risk of blindness caused by vitreous haemorrhage or retinal detachment. However, this procedure will only work if the detachment hasn’t progressed much and before bleeding has occurred. Scatter Photocoagulation is also used for treating certain kinds of glaucoma.

Focal photocoagulation is where the eye care specialist aims the laser exactly on the leaking blood vessels in the macula.  This procedure won’t cure blurry vision caused by macular oedema but it can prevent the condition from getting worse.

In case the retina has already detached or excessive amount of blood has leaked into the eye, this procedure is of no help.  The next option that you have is vitrectomy. This is a surgery for removing scar tissue and cloudy fluid from your eyes. In this case too, the earlier you opt for the operation, the more likely it is to be successful.

For treating macular edema, the doctor either goes for Focal Laser Therapy or using medications. Focal laser therapy slows the leakage of fluid whereas medications can be injected into the eye to slow the growth of new blood vessels and for reducing the leakage of fluid into the macula.

Who are at the risk of developing diabetic eye disease?

Your chances of retinopathy are high if you have diabetes for a longer period. This means, almost everyone with type 1 diabetes may eventually suffer from non-proliferative retinopathy.

And most of the people with type 2 diabetes are also at the risk of developing it. If you are diabetic and you have good control over your blood sugar levels and if they are close to normal then you are less likely to develop retinopathy.

Most people with non-proliferative retinopathy usually do not show any symptoms. And that’s the reason why you should have your eyes examined regularly by an eye care expert.

Get your eye health diagnosed at a leading eye hospital in Kolkata

Get in touch with experts for thorough eye check-up or for glaucoma treatment in Kolkata. Visit http://www.dishaeye.org appointment to book an appointment.

Posted on

How to Take Care of your Eyes When you Have Diabetes

glaucoma treatment in Kolkata

Poor eye health and vision impairment is one of the biggest risks associated with diabetes. High blood sugar causes damage to the blood vessels in the eyes and can lead to an eye condition known as Diabetic retinopathy.

Although Diabetic Retinopathy cannot be cured, it can be prevented by managing blood sugar. Here’s a quick glance at how you can take care of your eyes when you have diabetes:

1) Understanding the risk factors

Understanding the risk factors associated with diabetic eye complication is a preliminary step in taking care of your eyes if you have diabetes. The risk factors for the onset and worsening of Diabetic Retinopathy include:

  • High cholesterol
  • Poor blood sugar control
  • High blood pressure
  • Smoking
  • Pregnancy
  • Eating unhealthy foods
  • Sedentary lifestyle

2) Control blood pressure and sugar

High blood pressure, which is common for people with diabetes, combined with high blood sugar, can cause damage to the eye blood vessels which eventually impairs vision. To lower the risks of the onset of Diabetic Retinopathy and vision impairment, keep your blood pressure at around 140/80 or below.

Normal blood pressure is as important as controlled blood sugar in order to prevent diabetes-related eye complications.

Make sure that you keep your A1C level under 7% to minimize the damage to the blood vessels in the eye caused by high blood sugar. A1C is a test for determining a person’s average blood glucose level.

3) Keep the cholesterol levels in check

LDL or bad cholesterol causes damage to the blood vessels, and therefore, you should keep your LDL in check. You can keep track of the cholesterol levels in your body through a blood test.

There are many ways how you can lower the cholesterol levels in your body. The most effective ways are to exercise regularly, drink plenty of water, and eat healthy foods – all of which have been discussed in the points following below.

4) Exercise regularly

Regular exercise is the best way to control blood sugar and pressure. When you exercise regularly, the oxygen content in the blood increases. This way, the blood vessels (including in the eyes) become healthy.
Exercising regularly doesn’t mean you have to hit the gym and lift weights. Simple cardio such as running, jogging, brisk walking, swimming, dancing, and cycling for at least half an hour every day is sufficient for staying healthy.

5) Drink plenty of water

Drinking plenty of water every day is another great way to manage diabetes and lower the risk of eye complications associated with the disease. Just like regular exercise, drinking water every day keeps the nerves and blood vessels healthy.

According to Diabetes.co.uk, people with diabetes stand at a greater risk of dehydration due to high blood glucose levels in the body. The kidneys attempt to remove the excess glucose and excrete as urine. During this process, the water content in the blood decreases. Failure to replenishing for a prolonged period of time can cause dehydration which eventually impairs the blood vessels.

6) Eat only healthy foods

Eating healthy foods is the single best way to maintain a good eye health. People with diabetes, in specific, should stick to a healthy and balanced diet to control cholesterol, blood sugar and pressure.

Healthy and organic foods such as fresh vegetables, colourful fruits, and lean fish and meat contain all the essential nutrients which keep the body organs healthy, including the eyes. If you have diabetes, then you shouldn’t eat unhealthy foods such as packaged foods, processed meats, carbonated drinks, and deep fried snacks.

The best way to maintain a healthy and balanced diet is to consult with your doctor or nutritionist.

7) Quit smoking and alcohol consumption

Smoking and alcohol consumption is dreadful for anyone, but especially for people with diabetes as they have high blood glucose levels than that of a non-smoking person with diabetes.

This makes it more difficult for them to control their disease which puts them at a greater risk of diabetic eye complications and other diseases. If you have diabetes and you smoke/ drink alcohol, you should quit them as soon as possible.

8) Have an eye exam once a year

Diabetic eye complications such as Diabetic Retinopathy goes undetected, and the worst part is it cannot be treated. However, the eye complication can be prevented and regular eye check-up is the best and the only way to diagnose the symptoms.

Have a complete eye exam every year. This way, you will be able to track the changes in the eyes/vision, and the symptoms associated with Diabetic Retinopathy. If you have diabetes and don’t get your eye checked regularly, the odds are great that you’ll be diagnosed with the eye complication after it has already worsened.

The most common type of eye exam is dilated eye exam. During the exam, the doctor dilates the pupil(s) using special eye drops to check the early signs of damage to the blood vessels.

9) Monitor changes in the vision and similar symptoms

If you are new to diabetes, then you may experience slight changes in vision. Although this is common for most people who are diagnosed with diabetes, you shouldn’t take it for granted.

Instead, monitor the changes in your vision – whether it worsens or stays the same. Stay alert of symptoms associated with diabetic eye complications such as deteriorating blurry vision, partial or complete loss of vision in one or both eyes, flashes of light appearing in normal vision, and seeing black spots.

If you experience any of these symptoms, then you should see a doctor immediately as worsening of Diabetic Retinopathy can cause permanent blindness.

Get your eyes checked today

If you have diabetes and want to take care of your eye health, then get you eye assessed at Disha Eye Hospital – a leading eye hospital in Kolkata. At Disha Eye Hospital, you can get the best Diabetic Retinopathy, Cataract, and Glaucoma treatment in Kolkata.

Posted on

Eye Safety Checklist

Eye Safety

Our eyes are one of the most sensitive organs in our body and are highly vulnerable to irritation, scratches and dreadful injuries. Therefore, our eyes need extra care to maintain a good vision.

Fortunately, there are several different ways how you can keep your eyes safe from injuries. Here, we have presented a short checklist for ensuring the safety of your eyes.

  • Identifying risk hazards

The first and foremost step to keeping your eyes safe is identifying the risk hazards. We are all surrounded by risk factors for eye injuries such as sprays, projectiles, and sharp/pointed edges.

If you are working in a room or a workshop, you need to identify and evaluate the risk factors. This way, you can prepare and assess eye safety accordingly.

Some of the most common types of risk hazards in a workplace include Chemicals, Flying Debris, Biohazards, Radiations, and other irritants. It is also important to identify other additional hazards posed by tools and machinery.

  • Take safety precautions while working (create a safe workplace)

It is important to wear safety gears such as helmet and protective eyewear while working in a workshop. You stand at an increased risk of eye injuries such as scratches, irritation, and corneal abrasion while in a workshop. So, apart from wearing protective wear, you should also minimize the risk factors by creating a safer workplace.

For instance, if the machinery in the workshop poses eye injury threat with flying debris and projectile, then assess these factors and minimize them. If this is not possible, put a warning sign so that visitors can take safety steps prior to entering the risk zone.

  • Be cautious with spectacles and contact lenses (don’t use beyond recommended use date)

Spectacles and contact lenses come as a great help in correcting visual acuity but did you know that they pose risk for eye injury as well? The eyes are most vulnerable to injuries caused by spectacles while playing sports, during falls, or engaging in any physical activity. So, make sure that you don’t wear spectacles while pursuing any physical or outdoor activity. This is in special regard with the kids as they are often reckless while playing.

Similarly, contact lenses are a great alternative to spectacles but are just as risky to the eyes. There are instances where people forget to take off their lenses and sleep while wearing them. Doing this can cause scratches and corneal abrasion.

Also, you need to be careful while cleaning the contact lenses. To avoid irritation and infection, clean the lenses as per the instruction given by the doctor or optometrist.

  • Wear eye protection during sports and in school laboratories

Sports-related eye injuries are the most common type of eye injuries in children. It is therefore crucial for children to be instructed for wearing eye protection gear in any sports.

School laboratory is another important risk factor for eye injuries in children. Laboratory professionals should instruct children to wear safety glasses and gloves while inside the room.

  • Avoid facewash and soaps getting into the eyes

Often, we are careless when washing our face with facewash, scrubs, and cleaning soaps. When these get into the eyes, it can cause irritation, severe itching, allergic reactions and pain. In some cases, it may even cause temporary blurriness in vision. So, avoid the eye area whenever you wash your face with these types of cleansers.

  • Limit the use of eye make-up

Most women who use eye make-ups aren’t aware of the fact that they pose a great threat to the eyes. Almost all eye make-ups contain harmful chemicals that can cause irritation and allergy to the eyes.

Taking certain precautions while using make-up is essential for ensuring eye safety. Health experts recommend replacing your eye make-up with new ones twice a year. Also, make sure that you don’t share your eye make-up with your friends.

Don’t wear eye make-up for too long – rinse them off as soon as you get home. Be careful while using false eyelashes as they can pose a pricking hazard.

  • Don’t use OTC eye drops

The practice of buying OTC eye drops to soothe eye itching or burning sensation is very harmful to the eyes as it can cause infection. There are instances where people go and buy the wrong eye drops. This can cause protein to build up in the eyes which can lead to vision impairment.
OTC eye drops can even cause severe irritation. So, if you face any discomfort in your eyes, consult a doctor and only buy the prescribed eye drop(s).

  • Wear waterproof glasses while swimming

Most swimming pools contain chlorine stabilizers and calcium added into the water for treatment. The added chemicals in swimming pool water can cause irritation, temporary blurry vision, and reddening of the eyes.
So, it is important that you wear swimming glasses that prevent water from reaching your eyes.

  • Wear sunglass while going out in the sun

Sunlight contains harmful UV rays which pose a great threat to the eyes. Prolonged exposure to direct sunlight can cause cataract and other dreadful eye complications. So, it is crucial that you wear sunglasses before going out in the sun. Make sure that you wear sunglasses which come with UV protection.

  • Have a plan (contact for medical assessment) for unexpected eye injuries

Eye injuries can occur anytime and anywhere. So, it is beneficial to have a plan to address eye injuries. For instance, you can learn the basic procedures for relieving eye injuries and keep the right first aid kit with you.

Or you can keep the contact number of the nearest hospital for emergency during serious eye injuries.

Best retina specialist in Kolkata

Are you concerned about your eye health? If yes, then get your eye health assessed at Disha Eye Hospital.

Posted on

Blepharitis: What’s it? Symptoms. Treatment. Hygiene Tips.

Eye hospital in Kolkata

Blepharitis is a common eye condition in which the eyelids get inflamed and become red and swollen, and can form dandruff-like scales on the eyelashes. People suffering from the condition may experience a burning sensation in their eyes.

Although some people experience only minor irritation; but if the condition is left untreated, it can lead to further complications such as misdirected or missing eyelashes, blurry vision, and inflammation of other eye tissue.

Let’s discuss different types of Blepharitis –

Anterior Blepharitis – affects the outer edge of the eyelid, near the eyelashes.

Posterior Blepharitis – occurs at the inner edge of the eyelid which touches the eyeball.

Mixed Blepharitis – it is a combination of both Anterior Blepharitis and Posterior Blepharitis.

Causes

Blepharitis (in general) is caused either by bacteria or skin condition. Other causes of Blepharitis include Dry Eyes, Meibomian Gland Dysfunction (MGD), Parasites (Demodex eyelash mites), and Fungal Eyelid Infection.

Anterior Blepharitis

There are two major reasons for Anterior Blepharitis – dandruff of the scalp and eyebrows (seborrheic blepharitis) or bacteria (staphylococcal blepharitis). In normal circumstances, bacteria are found on the face and eyelids. But when they become excessive, the eye lid area gets affected.

Posterior Blepharitis

This type of Blepharitis generally occurs when there’s irregular production of oil in the eyelids. As a result, excessive oil presence creates a favourable environment for bacterial growth. Skin conditions such as scalp dandruff and Rosacea also cause Posterior Blepharitis to occur.

Mixed Blepharitis

Mixed Blepharitis is a combination of Anterior Blepharitis and Posterior Blepharitis.

Symptoms

The most common symptoms of all types of Blepharitis include reddening and swelling of the eyelids. Other symptoms of the condition include:

  • Burning sensation in the eyes
  • Increased sensitivity to light
  • Crusty or greasy eyelashes
  • Eyelids that stick together
  • Loss of eyelashes
  • Abnormal eyelash growth
  • Uncomfortable feeling while wearing contact lens
  • Blurry vision
  • Foreign body sensation
  • Watery eyes
  • Stinging sensation
  • Frequent blinking
  • Flaking of the skin around the eyes

Diagnosis

Blepharitis is generally diagnosed through a comprehensive eye exam. During the eye examination, the doctor lays special emphasis on the eyelids and the front surface of the eyeball.

Some of the steps taken during the eye exam include:

  • The doctor may go through the patient’s history to check whether there are any symptoms or health complications that are causing the disease.
  • The doctor will examine the lid margins, meibomian gland openings, and base of the eyelashes using magnification and bright light.
  • The doctor will also examine the eye as a whole – including eyelash appearance, skin texture, and lid structure.
  • The doctor will also evaluate the quality and quantity of tears to check for any abnormalities which might be fostering the development of the condition.

During the eye exam, the doctor will also check signs and appearance of the eyelid margin to determine the type of Blepharitis. The symptoms which help doctors to evaluate the type of Blepharitis include:

Meibomian Blepharitis – the signs include redness of the eyelids, poor quality of tears, and blockage of the oil glands in the eyelids.

Ulcerative Blepharitis – sign for this type of Blepharitis include chronic tearing of the front edge of the eyelids, eyelash loss, formation of hard crusts around the eyes and removal of the crusts leading to sores that bleed.

Seborrheic Blepharitis – this type of Blepharitis is characterised by mild redness of the eyelids and formation of greasy flakes around the base of the eyelashes.

Staphylococcal Blepharitis – this type of Blepharitis is characterised by misdirected or missing eyelashes, thickened lid margins, and mildly sticking eyelids.

Treatment

Treatment for Blepharitis depends upon the type of the condition and cannot usually be cured. The most common form of treating Blepharitis is eyelid hygiene.

Here are some of the available treatments for Blepharitis.

Oily tear eye drops

Oily tear eye drops are helpful if there’s quick drying of the tears. These eye drops replace the oily layer of the tear film which reduces evaporation of tears from the surface of the eye.

Oral antibiotics

Doctors may prescribe antibiotics as they can be used as anti-inflammatory agents for three or four months. In some cases, other treatments don’t work for Blepharitis; in such situations, patients may require taking the antibiotic orally.

If it’s Rosacea that’s causing Blepharitis, then the doctor may prescribe oral antibiotics during the starting of the treatment. Although patients may respond well during the first week of the treatment,doctors insist on completing the course of antibiotics, visit https://nygoodhealth.com/product/antibiotics/.

Antibiotic drops and ointments

When regular cleaning is not effective for Blepharitis, the doctor may prescribe a course of antibiotic ointment, eye drops or creams. These are usually to be used for 4 to 6 weeks.

Patients are required to rub ointment gently on the edge of the eyelids using either cotton buds or clean fingers. Patients are required to do this only when the condition begins to improve.

When using the antibiotic eye drops, patients should avoid wearing contact lenses. This is because the eye drop builds up behind the lenses which may irritate the eyes and cause further complications.

Diet

Omega 3 helps in treating the condition or, at the least, improves it. Some of the foods that are high in Omega 3 protein include:

  • Fresh tuna ( and not the canned ones as they do not contain beneficial oils)
  • Sardines
  • Salmon
  • Mackerel
  • Herring

It is often advised that people with Blepharitis should eat at least two portions of fish a week. Other food sources of Omega 3 include:

  • Green leafy vegetables
  • Soya and soya products
  • Vegetable Oils
  • Various nuts and seeds

Hygiene Tips

The key to relieving the symptoms and treating the condition is maintaining eyelid hygiene. Keeping the eyelid and lid margin clean is necessary as Blepharitis can reoccur.

Eyelid hygiene

If you have Blepharitis, then it is very important to clean your eyes and eyelids every day even if you aren’t experiencing any symptom or are on medication. Good eyelid hygiene can relieve the symptoms of the condition and even prevent it.

Some of the steps to keep the eyelids clean include:

Warm Compresses

This is one of the most common eyelid hygiene practices.

  • Take a bowl of lukewarm water
  • Soak a clean eye pad or a flannel in the lukewarm water and place it in the eyes for 10 minutes
  • Reheat the eye pad by soaking it in the warm water again

Lid Margin hygiene

Another great way to keep the eyelid clean is to buy commercially available (over the counter) eye drops from the market.

When you are diagnosed with Blepharitis, the doctor may prescribe you a suitable cleaning solution. It is very important that you continue to maintain lid margin hygiene for at least 2 to 3 weeks. Doing this helps to prevent the permanent scarring of the eyelid margins.

Eyelid massage

Massaging the eyelids may help relieve the discomfort caused by the condition. One of the best ways to massage the eye lids is to roll your little finger with a circular motion over the closed eyes.

Another way to massage the eyelids is to roll a cotton bud downwards gently towards the edge of the eyelids while keeping the eyes shut. Doing this helps to push out melted oil out of the glands. Repeat this process over several times.

Eye hospital in Kolkata

Are you suffering from eye disorders? If yes, then consult with eye health care experts at Dish Eye Hospital and get suitable treatment solutions.

Posted on

Eye Health Tips for Elderly

Cataract Surgery in Kolkata

With age your vision changes. Once you are in your 60s, you will notice changes in your vision that might even affect your day-to-day works. While this is normal but, the risk rate continues to increase with age, especially, if you have certain health conditions or eye conditions. However, when you know what to expect from your eyes as you age and when to seek help from eye experts, you can protect your vision for longer.

How your vision changes with Age?

Your vision starts to change as you get into your mid-40s. You may start to have problems seeing objects at close distances clearly. This is especially when you are reading something or working on the computer. This is the most common problem that adults develop as you get older. This is normal. It happens because your eye’s focusing ability is affected. This condition is known as presbyopia and it continues to progress with time.

You will notice that

  • Your eyes now take longer to focus and adjust or cannot adjust very well if you get into a poorly-lit area from a well-lit area or vice versa.
  • This problem in adjusting to dark and light is problematic if you drive. This becomes difficult if you have any eye condition that affects your peripheral vision or increase your sensitivity to light or glare. So, it’s better to avoid driving as you get older.
  • It has become tough for you to distinguish images from their background even if there are subtle gradations of tone. This condition is known as loss of “contrast sensitivity.”
  • You need more light to see clearly. You may notice that close-up tasks such as working on a laptop and reading are easier in areas with bright light. Also, you may see that printed materials appear less clear now. This happens because the lens of your eye loses its flexibility with time.
  • There are changes in your colour perception and it has become difficult for you to distinguish between different shades of colour. Even, the clear lens located inside your eye may start to discolour.
  • Your tear production has diminished. With age, the tear glands present in your eyes produce fewer tears. Women who are undergoing hormone changes with age (particularly post-menopausal women) are more likely to experience this. As a result, your eyes may feel irritated and dry. An adequate amount of tears is important for keeping your eyes healthy and for maintaining a clear vision.

As you age, you may initially see that holding reading materials at a distance is helping you in seeing them clearly. Or removing your glasses is helping you in seeing better up close. If you are using contact lenses or prescription glasses for near or distant vision, then these changes in your near vision can be easily corrected by using multifocal or bifocal lenses. Fortunately, if you have presbyopia, you have multiple options for improving your vision.

Source: https://www.aoa.org/patients-and-public/good-vision-throughout-life/adult-vision-19-to-40-years-of-age/adult-vision-41-to-60-years-of-age

The “rod” cells in the eye that tend to degrade with age compared to the “cone” cells that help in visual acuity and colour vision. A number of environmental factors such a nutrition, excessive exposure to sun, and smoking affect the health and function of the rod cells.

Source: https://www.aao.org/eye-health/tips-prevention/seniors-vision-develop
https://www.aoa.org/patients-and-public/good-vision-throughout-life/adult-vision-19-to-40-years-of-age/adult-vision-41-to-60-years-of-age

Common Eye Problems that comes with Age

With age, you become vulnerable to a number of eye conditions. This includes:

1. Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD)

In this condition, the central part of the tissue lining the retina, known as Macula, gets damaged. The Macula helps in your central vision and as a result, tasks such as reading fine print become difficult. However, this doesn’t affect the peripheral or side vision. AMD is of two types.
The Dry type of AMD affects the majority of people. This condition is marked by a subtle and gradual loss of vision as the cells in the retina break down. For instance, straight lines may appear wavy to you or you may see just parts of letters. The dry type of AMD often advances into the wet type of AMD.

Symptoms of the Dry type of AMD include:

  • Hazy vision
  • You may need extra light or having vision issues when switching from bright to low light
  • You may have difficulty in reading or recognizing people’s faces
  • Colours will appear less vivid

The wet type of AMD is much severe and causes sudden loss of central vision. This happens as blood starts leaking from the blood vessels growing in or under your retina. As a result, you may see large dark spots in the centre of your vision field. If you see blind spots, then immediately consult an eye specialist.
Symptoms of wet type of AMD also include:

  • Distorted vision
  • The Same object appears different size for each eye
  • Colours become less vivid or you see same colour differently in each eye

You are more likely to develop AMD if you smoke or if you are obese or have a family history of AMD. Other risk factors include lack of essential nutrients, excessive exposure to ultraviolet rays.
There is no cure for AMD; however, there are ways to slow its progression, especially the wet macular degeneration. These are:

  • Anti-VEGF treatment that helps in limiting the growth of new blood vessels in your eyes.
  • Thermal laser treatment. This uses heat for slowing down the progression of the disease.
  • Photodynamic therapy. This is used for destroying the leaking blood vessels in the eye.

2. Glaucoma

This is a group of eye diseases resulting in vision loss. The increased pressure in your eye or poor circulation damages the optic nerve. The optic nerve carries images from the eye to the brain, helping in your vision.

Glaucoma develops slowly and usually doesn’t have any clear early symptom. You may not realise that you have it until you start losing your vision. Glaucoma can cause blindness. Age is one risk factor of Glaucoma. Other risk factors include:

  • a family history of glaucoma
  • If you have Hispanic or African ancestry
  • If you are high degree myopic or hyperopic
  • Past history of eye injury
  • Low blood pressure or high eye pressure
  • Diabetes

The doctor may suggest laser treatment, surgery or medications for treating Glaucoma.

3. Cataracts.

This is a condition where the lens of your eyes become cloudy and your vision becomes blurry. Cataract is a common problem that comes with ageing.

Symptoms often develop slowly and usually include:

  • Dim, cloudy and hazy vision. You may feel like looking through an extremely dirty windshield
  • Double vision in one eye
  • Problem in night vision or in low light
  • Seeing halos around lights
  • Light sensitivity
  • Colours appear faded. You may have trouble telling the difference between blues and greens
  • Difficulty in seeing an object with the same colour background.

Factors that increase your risk for developing cataract are:

  • Family history of cataracts
  • Excessive exposure to sunlight
  • High cholesterol
  • high blood pressure
  • Diabetes
  • Smoking
  • Previous eye injury or surgery

During initial stages, changing the contact lenses and eyeglasses prescription might help. Using a magnifying glass and brighter lights for reading or other close-up works may also help. If glare or halo is causing a problem then avoid driving at night. However, glare can be an issue during daytime as well. Ensure that your prescription is up-to-date. Use special tints to lessen glare. If cataract interferes with your day-to-day activities then consult an ophthalmologist who specialises in cataract surgery for removing the cloudy lens and replacing it with clear lens implants.

Other Retinal Diseases

1. Diabetic retinopathy is a complication when there’s an abnormal growth of blood vessels in the retina that leaks fluid or bleeds. You may experience blurred vision and have trouble reading.

Laser treatment can stop the leakage in early stages of the disease, thus, helping in preventing serious complications.

2. Retinal vessel occlusion is a complication that occurs with diabetes or glaucoma. It is a condition when a vein in the retina is blocked. You are at greater risk of developing this condition if you have high blood pressure or due to narrowing of the arteries.

Depending on the type of blockage you experience moderate levels of vision loss that comes and goes. You may even have sudden and severe vision loss accompanied by pain that may require immediate attention.

Source: https://www.webmd.com/eye-health/age-related-vision#2-3

Eye Health Issues: Warning Signs

The 60s is also the time when you are at greater risk of developing sight-threatening conditions. All the eye troubles come with definite symptoms and early signs. Visit an eye specialist immediately if you experience the following symptoms:

  • Fluctuating vision: Frequent changes in your visual clarity can be a sign of high blood pressure or diabetes. These are chronic conditions that damage the blood vessels in the retina. Sometimes this vision loss is permanent.
  • Seeing floaters and light flashes: You may also see spots or floaters in your vision field. In most cases, these floaters or shadowy images are nothing but of the particles floating in the liquid that covers the inside of the eye. They are bothersome at times but spots and floaters don’t harm your vision. They are a part of the eye’s natural ageing process. However, if you see that there is a sudden surge in the number of floaters then it’s a sign that there might be a tear in your retina and that it might have detached. This is a condition that deserves immediate medical attention for preventing serious vision loss.
  • Loss of peripheral vision: If you lose your peripheral or side vision, then it’s a sign that you might have Glaucoma. The most common form of Glaucoma doesn’t have any symptom unless your vision is affected.
  • Images becoming distorted: If images appear distorted, such as a straight line appears wavy or if you see an empty area in your central vision, it’s a sign of AMD. It affects the macula, the central part of the retina responsible for your central vision.

Source: https://www.aoa.org/patients-and-public/good-vision-throughout-life/adult-vision-19-to-40-years-of-age/adult-vision-41-to-60-years-of-age

  • Keep your Eyes Healthy

There are several things that you can do to keep your eyes as healthy as possible in your 60s:

  • Eat a healthy, balanced diet: This is essential for your eyes. Not eating eye-healthy nutrients is often one of the major causes of many eye conditions. Eat plenty of fruits and vegetables and fill your plate with different colours. It doesn’t only benefit your overall health but also shields you against eye conditions such as AMD and Cataract.
  • Wear sunglasses when out in the sun: The harmful UV rays can damage your eyes and increase your risk of developing cataracts. Whenever going out in the sun, wear sunglasses or contact lenses that have a UV filter.
  • Quit smoking: because it increases your risk of developing conditions such as AMD and cataracts.
  • Maintain a healthy weight: If you are overweight, it increases your risk of diabetes, which may cause vision loss.
  • Increase the lighting: When you are in your 60s, your eyes need three times more light to see clearly than they did in your 20s. Poor lighting conditions can strain your eyes. So, improve the daylight in your home. Ensure your home has good electric lighting. Use direct light for reading and any kind of close-up work. Make sure that it doesn’t cause glare.
  • Exercise: because it improves the flow of oxygen and blood circulation to every part of your body including your eyes. This is important for maintaining a good eye health.
  • Get enough Sleep: It’s because when you sleep your eyes are continuously lubricated, thus helping in clearing dust and irritants that may have accumulated throughout the day.
  • Wear the right lenses: An eye test will establish whether you need a different prescription for your glasses or contact lenses. It’s important to wear the correct prescription lenses. This will improve your quality of life and reduce the risk of accidents such as falls.

Source: http://www.nhs.uk/Livewell/over60s/Pages/eyehealth.aspx

Cataract Surgery in Kolkata

If you are looking for a place for undergoing cataract surgery or want to learn more about the treatment prospects or cataract surgery cost in Kolkata, get in touch with us at http://www.dishaeye.org/appointment.

Posted on

Common Eyelid Problems that you Shouldn’t Ignore

Disha Eye Hospital

The eyelid is a crucial part of your eyes. Anatomically, the eyelid has a complex structure. It has an anterior layer of skin, an orbicularis oculi muscle, and the posterior layers of tarsus and conjunctiva. The eyelid covers and protects the eyes from any kind of trauma, dust, and any other debris. The closure of eyelid helps in distributing tear film on the eye surface. And that is why the health of your eyelid is essential for the health of your eye. Infection and any kind of irritation can affect the health of your eyelids. Symptoms of eyelid problems include itching, swelling, excessive tearing, and redness.

Common Eyelid Problems

1. Blepharitis

This is one of the most common eyelid problems. It is the inflammation of the margin of the eyelid. The common symptoms of Blepharitis include:

  • Tearing
  • Itching
  • Burning
  • The sensation of a foreign particle inside the eyes
  • Crusting around the eyes after waking up

When examined closely, you will find that the eyelids and lashes are thick with crust and debris. Mild mucus discharge and conjunctival injection may also be present. This condition usually occurs due to chronic bacterial lid infection and other conditions such as acne rosacea that affects the eye (ocular rosacea), meibomian gland dysfunction, and seborrhea.

How to treat it?

Initially, you may treat this condition with warm compresses, antibiotic ointments, and eyelid scrubs. Apply warm compresses for 15 minutes for loosening the crusts and the eyelashes. Warm compresses help in melting the oil produced by the meibomian glands, which can obstruct the orifices of the gland. Scrub the eyelids once you have removed the crusts using Q-tip cotton swabs, washcloth or using your finger. The doctor may prescribe Erythromycin or any another antibiotic ointment that is to be applied to the margin of the eyelid. Since this ointment temporarily blurs the vision, it is better to apply it at bedtime. The doctor may also prescribe antibiotic eye-drops.

If the problem persists, the eye specialist may obtain eyelid cultures for ruling out any possibility of resistant organisms. The doctor may give your oral antibiotics, visit http://www.health-canada-pharmacy.com/antibiotics.html. If ignored, severe blepharitis may cause corneal ulcers. This is a chronic disease and eyelid hygiene is extremely important for avoiding the disease.

2. Chalazion

This is a benign and painless bump or occurring inside the upper or lower eyelid. It is caused by healed internal styes. These styes are usually not infectious. These cyst-like bumps form around the meibomian gland (oil gland) present within the eyelid, causing swelling and redness of the eyelids. The chalazion is mainly filled with pus and blocked fatty secretions that usually help in lubricating the eye but doesn’t drain out. Often, chalazion drains and disappears. This is especially when you have used periodic warm compresses and gentle massage on the eyelid. However, some may persist for over several weeks and may also grow to such extent that it becomes cosmetically unappealing. A large chalazion presses the cornea, thus, causing temporary irregularity on your eye surface. It may also induce astigmatism, resulting in blurry vision.

Source: http://www.allaboutvision.com/conditions/chalazion.htm

How to treat it?

Apply warm compresses for 15 minutes. Do this multiple times throughout the day. Visit a doctor. The doctor may give you a topical antibiotic if he or she finds any signs of infection are present. If the condition continues for over four weeks, It might require medical therapy and may be incised and drained.

3. Hordeolum or Stye

A hordeolum or a stye is a painful lump appearing either inside or outside the eyelid. It is an abscess which is filled with pus. A stye is caused by Staphylococcus Bacteria. Styes are extremely common and most of the people experience this at least once in their life. The external stye usually starts as a small spot appearing just next to your eyelash. Gradually it turns into a red and painful swelling. It usually lasts several days before it bursts and heals without any kind of treatment. Most of the external styes heal on their own and are short-lived. On the other hand, an internal stye appears on the underside of the eyelid. This also causes a painful reddish swelling. However, due to its location, the familiar whitehead doesn’t appear on the eyelid. The internal stye usually disappears completely after the infection is gone. However, it may also leave a fluid-filled cyst on the eyelid which may be opened and drained.

How to treat it?

Use a cloth soaked in warm water and apply it on the affected the area. Repeat this several times to reduce swelling and redness.

Source: https://www.webmd.boots.com/eye-health/guide/stye-symptoms-diagnosis-treatment

4. Seborrheic Keratosis

This is a non-cancerous lesion or skin growth commonly occurring in older adults. It is a brown or black coloured growth which is greasy, scaly and is slightly elevated. These result from excessive exposure to sun and are usually painless. Removal may require surgical excision. Visit a doctor if you get multiple lesions in a short time.

5. Actinic Keratosis

This condition is marked by rough, patchy, and scaly skin that develops due to constant exposure to the sun. This condition is also known as Solar Keratosis and unlike Seborrheic Keratosis, it can become cancerous. The doctor may perform excisional biopsy for identifying carcinoma-in-situ or dysplasia.

6. Nevus

Also known as freckle of the eye, a nevus is a coloured growth which is much similar to a mole on the skin. This is a pigmented or nonpigmented congenital lesion and may be slightly elevated as well. As you age, the nevus becomes more pigmented or elevated or cystic. The eye nevus is usually harmless. Nevus may appear either on the skin around your eyelids or inside the eye.

7. Xanthelasma

Have you ever seen yellowish growth around the eyelids? These soft yellowish plaques are actually fat deposit under the skin, known as Xanthelasma. This usually appears on the surface of the eyelids or the area surrounding it and indicates congenital disorders related to cholesterol. These are harmless but if you want, you can remove it. You have to undergo a carbon dioxide laser.

8. Molluscum Contagiosum

This is a skin infection caused by Molluscum Contagiosum virus. This virus produces bumps or lesions on the skin surface. If these bumps are present on the eyelids, it may also cause follicular conjunctivitis. This condition can be treated with, cryotherapy or curettage and excision.

9. Hydrocystoma

This is a translucent cyst that appears on the margin of the eyelid. It usually results from a blocked sweat gland in the eyelid. Complete excision needs to be performed for treating the condition.

10. Basal Cell Carcinoma

Basal cell carcinoma is the most common type of eyelid cancer. It usually appears in the lower eyelid and looks like a pearly nodule. If it appears along the margin of the eyelids then you may see eyelashes missing from that region of the growth. Although this does not metastasize, it Basal Cell Carcinoma can be locally invasive. The treatment involves surgical procedure. If surgery doesn’t seem appropriate, radiation and cryotherapy is also considered.

11. Squamous Cell Carcinoma

This is less common condition but is extremely aggressive. It appears as lesions that are scaly, raised, and are centrally ulcerated. The lesions generally occur on the upper eyelid. They may arise from the regions of actinic keratosis. The treatment procedure is similar to that of basal cell carcinoma.

12. Sebaceous Carcinoma

Middle-aged and older adults generally suffer from this condition. Sebaceous carcinoma often mimics a chalazion or blepharitis. It is locally invasive and spreads to the tissues surrounding it. It may also spread to the bones, lungs, and liver. Since it is much aggressive in nature, large and recurrent tumours may require surgical removal.

13. Melanoma

This is a very rare form of eyelid tumour and often appears like nevus. During examination, the doctor may evert the eyelid for investigating any conjunctival involvement. If it changes appearance, then an excisional biopsy of the lesion must be done. Constant and systemic monitoring and evaluation is essential.

14. Entropion

This is a condition where the eyelid margin turns inward. This causes redness, irritation, coupled with white mucus discharge. This condition generally affects the lower eyelid causing the lower eyelashes to rub with the conjunctiva and the cornea. This is more common in older adults and is an age-related condition. The doctor may prescribe teardrops and lubricating eye ointments or may also perform a surgical repair.

15. Ectropion

This is just the opposite of Entropion where the eyelid margin turns outward causing redness, irritation, and tearing. This mainly occurs in the lower eyelid. Treatment methods include application of lubricating tear drops.

16. Trichiasis

In this condition, the eyelashes are misdirected and rub against the cornea. This causes ocular pain, redness, and tearing. Removal of the misdirected eyelashes relieves the symptoms. If those eyelashes regrow, they can be re-epilated. Electrolysis or cryotherapy is also done for eyelash removal.

17. Dermatochalasis

Dermatochalasis is the laxity of eyelids muscle and skin and may cause functional loss of superior vision in case the tissue hangs over the eyelid and into your visual axis. This is an age-related condition and may require surgical repair.

18. Ptosis

Ptosis or droopy eyelid results from the weakening of the muscles that helps raise the eyelids. This is caused by damaged nerves that control these muscles or just due to the sagging of the upper eyelid skin. Ptosis is a part of normal aging process but it may also be caused due to a congenital abnormality or any type of injury to the eye or due to other health conditions such as stroke, tumours or other neurological problem. This can often interfere with vision. If it is caused by any other health condition, treating the underlying condition cures Ptosis.

Source: http://www.eyecaremed.com/eyelid-position-problems-portland-maine.html

19. Eyelid Retraction

The upper eyelid usually rests just 2mm below the junction of the sclera and the superior cornea. In case of the lower eyelid, it is at the junction of the sclera and the inferior cornea. The eyelid retracts often due to thyroid ophthalmopathy. If your eyelids are retracted, check your thyroid status. Other causes of eyelid retraction include tumours, blepharoptosis, and midbrain disease. Treatment depends on the underlying cause of the condition.

20. Facial Palsy

Facial palsy makes the closing of the upper eyelid impossible. It also causes laxity of the lower eyelid. Vigorous lubrication of the eye is the way to treat this condition. Use artificial tear drops and lubricating ointment.

Source: http://www.aafp.org/afp/1998/0601/p2695.html

21. Blepharospasm

This is a neurological condition marked by the forcible closure of the eyelids. This is the uncontrolled muscle contraction of the eyelids. This abnormal twitching of the eyelids often lasts for a few days and disappear without any treatment. The exact cause of this condition is not known and it is also not associated with any other disease or underlying condition. Primary symptoms are often mild and infrequent spasms. With time, these become forceful and frequent. In advanced stages, it may also cause functional blindness due to the inability to open the eyes temporarily. The treatment involves the periodic injection of botulinum toxin (Botox). This condition can occur with any specific ocular disease or movement disorder.

22. Epiblepharon

This condition is often seen in East Asian children (Koreans, Chinese, and Japanese). In this condition, the lower and the upper eyelids turn inwards resulting in irritation, watering, redness of the eye. In most of the cases, it gets better with lubrication; however, surgical correction may also be considered for permanent relief.

Source: https://www.nuh.com.sg/eye/patients-and-visitors/diseases-and-conditions/oculoplastic-and-facial-aesthetic/common-eyelid-problems.html#baggy_eyes

Often, skin problems, such as seborrheic dermatitis and eczema can also affect the eyelids, causing flaking on the skin of the eyelids and eye irritation. People having skin issues and allergies may also have a problem with their skin on the eyelids.

Disha Eye Hospital

Eyelid conditions must be addressed immediately otherwise it may interfere with your vision. If you have any vision-related issues, you may get in touch with the experts at Disha Eye Hospital. Book an appointment at http://www.dishaeye.org/appointment.

Posted on

Information on Kids’ Eye Health & Safety

Everything is possible for your kids when they have a good vision. Without a good vision, your kids aren’t able to learn which makes the world around them difficult. Factually, children are most vulnerable to poor eye health and safety than people of every other age group. This is because of their size, behaviour, and physiology.

So, here’s brief information on kids’ eye health and safety which will help you take more care of them.

Your child’s vision

To fully understand about kids’ eye health, it is beneficial to first know about how vision develops in a baby. Here’s a timeline of the development of vision in a baby:

  • Newborns – It is very interesting to know that the acuity (vision sharpness) is already fully developed in a newborn baby. They are attracted to faces and brightly coloured objects.
  • 3 months – By now, babies have full control over their eyes and are able to follow a moving object. Cot mobiles help in stimulating their vision development.
  • 6 months – The eye develops two third of its adult’s size at 6 months while distant vision and depth perception continue to develop.
  • 1 year old – By now, the eyes are almost fully developed. Coordination of the eyes can be improved with games which involve activities such as catching, placing, tossing, and pointing.
  • 2 to 5 years old – Vision is well coordinated with hearing at the preschooler age.

Kids’ eye health

As discusses above, a good vision is essential for any kid to learn properly in and outside of school. Here are the vision skills that every child needs to have to read and learn effectively.

Eye focusing – it is the ability to maintain clear vision while the distance of the object(s) changes. For instance, a child can easily maintain clear vision when looking from a book to the chalkboard (and vice versa) with a good eye focusing ability.

Visual acuity – with a good visual acuity, a child is able to see clearly over distant objects.

Eye tracking – it is the ability to focus on a target when shifting gaze from one object to another. For instance, following a moving ball, or moving the eyes along a printed page.

Visual perception – with a good visual perception, a child is able to organise, understand images and remember what it is. For instance, normal visual perception allows a child to read and remember.

Eye-hand coordination – it is the ability to direct hands using information. Normal eye-hand coordination allows a child to draw pictures, write, or play.

As children spend a great deal of time in school learning, they face increasing demand on their visual abilities while they are progressing. Although parents are very concerned about getting the best education for their children, the vision, which is one of the crucial elements of learning, is often overlooked.

Children have to spend a great time reading school books that have small print size and increased homework may put extra pressure on their eyes. This, therefore, can tire the eyes.

When the vision in a child is not fully developed or if the child has poor eye health, he/she may find attending the school and learning difficult. If your child is suffering from poor eye health, he/she may show these typical signs:

  • Short attention span – as they experience discomfort and fatigue.
  • Avoid reading or looking into objects that are near and intricate.
  • Poor performance in school work.

Children may experience vision changes during the school years. So, it is very important that parents ensure regular eye and vision care. Failing to do so can cause eye problems to occur.

Common eye problems in kids
common eye problem among kids
There are many eye problems (diseases and conditions) which can affect a child’s vision. Here are the common eye problems in kids.

  1. Strabismus – it is a condition in which one or both eyes get misaligned and may be intermittent or constant. Strabismus in children typically results in lazy eye.
  2. Amblyopia – Amblyopia (aka lazy eye) is the poor vision in an eye that has not fully developed eyesight. Amblyopia can also be referred as deterioration of vision which results from the misalignment of the eyes (strabismus).
  3. Refractive errors – it is a common eye problem in kids’ which involves blurry vision. Refractive errors are classified into two types: Nearsightedness (poor distant vision), and Farsightedness (poor close vision).
  4. Astigmatism – Astigmatism is a condition in which one cannot see both distant and close objects clearly as they appear blurred. It is the result of imperfection in the eye’s curvature.
  5. Epiphora – Epiphora (aka childhood tearing) is a condition which involves excessive tearing. The condition often occurs during infancy but can be acquired later on as well.
  6. Congenital Glaucoma – it is a rare condition in infants which is often inherited. The condition is the result of incomplete or incorrect development of the drainage canals of the eyes before birth.
  7. Infantile Cataracts – in general, cataract is the clouding of the eyes’ lens. Infantile Cataracts occurs in newborns.
  8. Retinoblastoma – it is a malignant tumour which causes whiteness in the pupil and vision loss. Retinoblastoma can affect children of up to 3 years.
  9. Double vision – as the name suggests, double vision involves the displaced perception of an object in a vertical, horizontal, or diagonal fashion. It is often caused by misalignment of the eyes (strabismus).
  10. Nystagmus – it is a condition in which the eyes move involuntarily. The eye movements can be circular, up and down, or side-to-side.

Spotting signs of eye problems in kids

Children may not complain or tell you about their eye/vision problems as they can be on the perception that how they see is the way everyone else sees. And children aren’t usually concerned about their health, they may try to get away with bearing the eye/vision problem(s).

So, it’s up to you to check for any sign which may be an indication that your child has eye/vision problem. Here are some indicative signs:

  • Short attention span
  • Difficulty in reading and seeing closer objects
  • Difficulty in remembering what he/she has read/watched
  • Tilting the head to one side
  • Frequent headaches
  • Poor concentration
  • Consistently holding books and other objects close to the face to see properly
  • Frequent blinking
  • Chronic rubbing of the eyes
  • Reddening of the eyes
  • Watery eyes/excess tearing
  • Lower eyelids getting swollen
  • Covering one eye
  • Using a finger as a guide while reading
  • Sensitivity to light
  • Avoiding using the computer (as the eyes hurt)

Foods to keep the eyes healthy in kids
healthy food for eyes
The best ways to keep your child away from eye/vision problems is making them eat healthily. The right and healthy foods provide the eyes with essential nutrition which helps in keeping eye problems/diseases at bay.
Here are the foods that are beneficial for kids’ eye health and vision:

  • Green leafy vegetables

Fresh and green leafy vegetables play a profound role in improving eyesight and are thus considered as super foods for the eyes. Green leafy veggies such as Collards, Kale, Spinach and Broccoli are a rich source of vitamins and minerals including Vitamin C, A, and Calcium.

  • Blueberries and grapes

Making your child eat grapes and blueberries can improve their night vision. Make sure to include blueberries in your child’s lunchbox as they reduce eye fatigue and helps in improving vision.

  • Carrots and sweet potatoes

Yellow vegetables such as carrots contain a high amount of Vitamin A and beta-carotene which promote retinal health and better eyesight.

  • Omega-3 fatty acid foods

Omega-3 fatty acid promotes blood circulation in the brain which in turn results in improved eye function. Dark green leafy vegetables, walnuts, and flax seeds are some of the plant-based omega-3 sources.

  • Almonds

Almond is a rich source of Vitamin E and is an excellent food for the eyes. Make sure that you give small amounts of almonds to your child.

Eye exams for kids

Taking children for regular eye check-up is essential in ensuring that they have a good eye health. There are different types of eye doctors and their names can be confusing.

Optometrist – they provide medical care of the eye but do not perform surgery.
Ophthalmologist – they provide complete eye care including medical care and surgery.
Pediatric Ophthalmologist – they specialise in treating kids’ eye problems.

Here are the eye exams that children should undergo:

  • New born babies should be checked for general eye health even if they do not have eye irregularities.
  • Babies who are 1 year old, should be checked for general eye health routinely.
  • At around age 3, kids should be screened for general eye health and visual acuity test.
  • Pediatric Ophthalmologist can be chosen for vision and eye alignment test for 5-year-olds.
  • Kids who are more than 5 years old should undergo routine screenings.

Eye health safety for kids

Eye safety is another crucial aspect of ensuring good eye health in your child. Children are often reckless and aren’t concerned much about their eyes. So, you as a concerned parent must teach/supervise eye safety to your child.

Here are some of the eye safety measures for kids:

1) Sports-related eye injuries

Kids are often energetic and can get carried away while playing outdoors. In such cases, they may unintentionally cause harm to their eyes. Kids aren’t bothered about their eye safety when they are exploring and experimenting new things.

So, it is very important to make your child wear a protective eye wear whenever he/she is playing outdoors. Similarly, if your kid takes swimming classes, make sure he/she wears swimming goggles as chlorine present in swimming pool water can irritate the eyes.

2) Eye injury with toys

Although toys are intended to be kids’ best companion, they can pose a risk of eye injuries as well. Try and get rid of all the jagged toys as they can cause eye injury upon mishandling. Also, when you are buying new toys for your child, check the packet to see if the materials used in the toy are safe for children.

3) Eye injury inside the house

As much the risk of eye injury outdoors is concerned, your child is not completely safe inside the house as well. Make your house safe and lower the risk of eye injury to your child. You can do this by identifying all the sharp corners inside the house and making them blunt or covering them with protective padding.

4) Too much of TV, computer, and games

Your child’s eye already has a lot to take in during school time and watching TV or using a computer at home for long hours adds extra stress to the eyes. So, you’ve got to limit TV, computer, PlayStation, and phone exposure to ensure that their eyes don’t get excessively tired.

5) Safety in school labs

Kids are often required to visit science labs in school to learn practical. When in the laboratory, the teacher must insist students to wear protective eye glass to stay safe from the risk of chemical spillage.

6) Carefulness with contact lens and spectacles

If you child has been prescribed glasses or contacts, then you’ve got to teach them how to handle it carefully. For instance, remind your child to take off the contacts while sleeping and bathing.

7) Precaution with chemicals inside the house

Chemicals inside your home such as petrol, insecticides, paint, and fertilizers pose a great risk to your kid’s eyes. Therefore, it is important to label them with a warning sign. For the best, keep them out of reach for your child.

8) Safety during travelling

When you travelling with your kid in the car, make your he/she is wearing a safety belt throughout the journey to avoid bumps upon applying brakes.

9) Sleep routine

One of the best ways to keep your kid’s eye health safe and sound is to insisting them on sleeping early.

10) Avoiding rubbing the eyes

Whenever you see your child rubbing his/her eyes, you should immediately stop them and instruct them not to do so. Instead, you can soak a piece of cloth in lukewarm water to bring relief in case a foreign object gets into the eye.