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Things to know about an eye strain headache

People often experience eye strain. The term is often used by people to describe symptoms such as mild pain or discomfort in the eye. Usually, eye strain occurs when your eyes get tired due to overuse, such as driving for a long period of time or staring at the computer or mobile screen for too long. This can cause discomfort.  Eye strain is also known as asthenopia or ocular fatigue. Eye strain can sometimes also trigger headaches, the severity of which depends on the cause. They are known as eyestrain headaches. 

eye strain headache

Eye strain headaches are basically the pain behind one’s eyes. Below we share a few signs of eye strain headache:

What are the signs of eye strain headache?

  • Dry eyes
  • Sensitivity to light
  • Blurry vision
  • Sour eyes
  • Watery eyes
  • Neck, shoulder or back pain

What causes eye strain?

  • Continuous use of the digital screen: Staring at a digital screen for a long period of time is the most common cause of eye strain. 

When you focus on the screen, you blink less often, which can lead to dry eyes and cause irritation  

  • Prolonged focus on a single task: Your eyes get tired when you continually focus on a single activity for a long time, for instance, driving, reading a book or even drawing.

 

  • Vision problems:  You may experience eye strain if you have vision problems. When you have problems such as nearsightedness or farsightedness, your eyes work harder to see things, making the eyes tired and leading to an eyestrain headache. 

 

 

  • Bright or dim lights: If the light is too bright or too dim, it is difficult to see clearly. Trying to focus in such situations is tough, making your eyes tired and strained.  

How to prevent eye strain?

  • Follow the 20-20-20 rule:  Try to take frequent breaks when using digital screens. According to this rule, look at something at least 20 feet away for around 20 seconds every 20 minutes.
  • Avoid using digital screens in the dark: Your eyes need to do extra work when you stare at a digital screen in the dark, making your eyes tired sooner than they should. Therefore, avoid using a digital screen in the dark.
  • Blink often: Blink more than you do now.  Blinking moisten your eyes, keeping the risk of dry eyes away.
  • Keep your screen at a distance: Always  your screen at least 25 inches away from your eyes and position it slightly below eye level.
  • Do not wear eye contact lenses for a longer period of time: Wearing contact lenses for a long time can cause eye irritation and strain your eyes. 
  • Adjust the brightness of your digital screen: Make sure that your screen is bright enough to not have shadows, and also not too bright that it’s hard to discern contrast.
  • Keep your surroundings clean: Keep your surroundings free from dust, which can disturb your tear ducts and lead to dry eyes.
  • Get enough sleep: Try to get around 6-8  hours of sleep. Stay hydrated and drink up liquids to avoid dry eye discomfort.
  • Wear anti-reflective lenses: The best way to save your sensitive eyes from eye strain from digital screens is to wear anti-reflective glasses. 
  • Get regular eye checkups: Weak vision can cause headaches, eye strain and blurred vision. So, even if you don’t have any eye problems, you should visit an eye specialist and have your eyes examined at least once a year.

Looking for an experienced eye specialist? 

Getting your eyes checked by an eye specialist regularly can help stop vision problems from getting worse. As one of the reputed eye hospitals in West Bengal, we have some of the best eye specialists on board.  Our eye specialists are highly experienced and well-versed with the latest medical procedures. You can consult our eye specialist either in person or opt for online consultation. 

 

 

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Dos and don’ts of contact lens wear

Rohan Basu, a 36-year-old from Kolkata, is a regular contact lens wearer. He was experiencing problems such as itching, burning or stinging sensation and watery eyes for quite some time. Finally, he decided to visit an eye hospital. Upon seeing an eye doctor he realised the mistakes that he had been making while using contact lenses. From wearing contact lenses to bed to wearing them to swimming pools, he had been using the contact lenses in the wrong way.

Dos and don'ts of contact lens wear

If you too are a contact lens wearer, it is important to know the dos and don’ts so that you do not put yourself at risk of developing eye infections. As a leading eye hospital in West Bengal, we share with you a few Do’s and Don’ts you must follow if you wear contact lenses. 

DO’s:

  • Do keep your hands clean. Your hands may be covered with germs, so always wash and rinse them thoroughly before touching the contact lenses. 
  • Do clean the lenses. Also, clean the lenses after removal as instructed by the eye care professional using the recommended solution. Also, keep the lens case clean. 
  • Discard all the lens solutions after the expiry date, even if there is any solution remaining.
  • Do carry your lens storage case and solution at all times if possible.
  • Keep your spectacles up to date. You can immediately use them if you lose your contact lenses. Or in case your doctor advises you to not wear contact lenses.
  • Wear swimming goggles while swimming with contact lenses. Also, wear protective glasses if you are dealing with dust, sand grit, or other foreign material. 
  • Always remove lenses before removing your eye make-up. Remove make-up with a good oil-free hypo-allergenic remover.
  • Clean your lenses immediately if you get any make-up on your contact lenses.

DON’Ts:

  • Don’t use tap or running water to rinse or soak your lenses.
  • Don’t rub your eyes vigorously while wearing contact lenses.
  • Don’t mix up your lenses. Always keep the right eye contact lens away from the left lens. This is especially important if the prescription numbers of both eyes are different. 
  • Don’t expose your contact lenses to sunlight.
  • Don’t apply any eye cosmetic products if you have swollen or red eyes or eye infections.
  • Don’t allow make-up to come in contact with your contact lenses. 
  • Do not share your contact lenses, even if they are zero power.

See an eye doctor if you experience an eye problem 

Contact lenses are convenient. However, improper use of contact lenses can raise the risk of an eye infection. If you experience any itchiness, redness, swelling or any other symptom in the eye, visit an eye hospital to get your eyes checked. Being one of the leading eye hospitals, we at Disha Eye Hospitals, have some of the best and highly experienced doctors, who will attend to your problem.

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Paediatric Refractive Errors: what you need to know as parents?

If you notice your child having trouble reading or sitting too close to the television, you should consider taking him or her to an eye doctor. These along with eye rubbing, squinting and lack of interest in school are often seen in children with refractive errors. Poor vision in one or both eyes during childhood can lead to the condition known as lazy eye that can cause long-term problems with your child’s vision. Here are some important things that you as parents should know about pediatric refractive errors and how they can be corrected:

eye treatment in kolkata

Importance of healthy eyes for children 

Healthy eyes and vision are extremely crucial for children. Good vision not only aids in reading, but is equally important for performance in co-curricular activities in school.

What are refractive errors?

A type of vision problem, refractive errors cause blurred vision in children as the shape of the eyes keep the light from focusing images on the retina. The most common type of refractive errors are: 

  • Farsightedness (hyperopia)
  • Nearsightedness (myopia)
  • Astigmatism

If these conditions are not corrected, they can have harmful consequences for your children.

Here we discuss in detail the common refractive errors:

Farsightedness or hyperopia

Children with hyperopia find it difficult to focus on objects close to them. However, they can clearly see faraway objects.

Symptoms: 

  • Trouble seeing objects up close 
  • Squinting the eyes a lot

Nearsightedness or myopia

Children with myopia cannot focus clearly on distant objects. Nearsightedness is the most common refractive error that is seen in children. Parents should know that young children may not be able to tell that they cannot see properly or may be they are unaware.  It is therefore important for parents to observe children and take them to an eye doctor if they are sitting too close to the TV or holding books up close in the face. 

Symptoms

  • Rubbing eyes
  • Sitting too close to the TV
  • Excess watering of eyes
  • Squinting

Causes

The length of the eyeball grows longer than usual. 

  • The cornea is too curved. 

Astigmatism

Astigmatism causes blurred distance and near vision.  In many cases, astigmatism begins in early childhood.

Symptoms 

  • Distorted vision
  • Eye strain
  • Difficulty with night vision
  • Eye rubbing
  • Trouble reading

Causes

  • Astigmatism occurs when the cornea or the lens of the eyes have an irregular curve.

How to correct the refractive errors?

Treatment for refractive errors include 

  • Prescription eyeglasses 
  • Prescription contact lenses
  • Refractive laser eye surgery

Looking for the best eye treatment in Kolkata for children?

Disha Eye Hospitals has a dedicated unit for Paediatric Ophthalmology and squint. Paediatric Ophthalmology deals with problems common to or seen in children. Our team of paediatric ophthalmologists offer the best care possible to children of all ages. 

Some of the eye conditions that our paediatric ophthalmologists and strabismologist treat include: 

  1. Paediatric strabismus
  2. Paediatric cataract
  3. Amblyopia
  4. Adult Strabismus
  5. Allergic disorders (red eye)
  6. Retinopathy of prematurity
  7. Paediatric glaucoma
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Eye Health FAQs

One of the most complex organs of the human body, your eyes are an important part of your health. They take in information and directly connect it with your brain, helping you to understand the world around you. Well, did you know that human eyes are made up of 2 million moving parts? Or the six muscles in each of the human eyes move faster than any other muscle in the body? As a leading eye hospital in Kolkata, we often receive a myriad of questions on eyes and eye health. Here we have curated a list of FAQs and their answers.

Eye health FAQs

1.What precautions should you take for the health of your eyes?

Keeping your eyes healthy is as important as keeping your body healthy. Here are a few steps you need to follow to keep your eyes healthy:

  • Eat healthy
  • Wear sunglasses under the sun
  • Wear safety eyewear while gardening, working in a factory or playing certain sports. 
  • Do not stare at computer or phone screen for too long.
  • Visit your eye doctor on regular intervals.

2. What health problems affect your eyes?

You would be surprised to know that there are a few health conditions that have no connection with your eyes per se, but can lead to eye problems. A few of them are: 

  • Diabetes: High blood sugar level can lead to several eye problems like blurry vision, glaucoma, and diabetic retinopathy. These eye conditions can cause vision loss or blindness in people. 
  • High Blood Pressure:  High blood pressure can damage the blood vessels that supply blood to the eyes. It can cause damage to your retina, build up fluid under it, and can also damage your optic nerve. 
  • Measles: A highly contagious virus, measles can harm the front or back of the eye, which can lead to vision loss or blindness. It can lead to conjunctivitis, keratitis, retinopathy, optic neuritis, and corneal scarring. 
  • Liver Disease: The whites of a person’s eyes become jaundiced or yellow when they have any liver disease. Most of the common symptoms of liver cirrhosis can be felt in the eyes like itchiness and dryness. 

3. How to get the best eye treatment in Kolkata?

You can visit Disha Eye Hospitals in Kolkata to consult the best eye doctors. We are committed to providing our patients with the highest possible standard of ophthalmic care in an affordable manner. Our services include cataract surgery, lasik & refractive surgery, glaucoma treatment, diagnostic and imaging services.

4. What is an eye stroke?

An eye stroke is when blood flow is blocked in the retina due to blood clot. Without proper blood flow, the retina does not get sufficient oxygen, which may lead to serious consequences. An eye stroke should be treated immediately as any delay can damage one’s vision permanently.

5. What are the symptoms if you have a cold in your eye?

The symptoms if a person has an eye cold are:

  • Reddening of eyes
  • Sensitivity to light
  • Blurry vision
  • Itchiness or burning sensation
  • Watery eyes
  • Cold or flu-like symptoms

6. Which fruit is the best for the eyes?

Fruits rich in antioxidants can protect your eyes such as guava, kiwi, red berries, orange, and grapefruit.

7. How can I clean my eyes daily?

Always rinse your eyes with clean cool water for at least 15 minutes. Wash your hands before cleaning your eyes. You can do this while you are in the shower or over a sink. Finally, wipe your eyes with a clean cloth. 

8. Why do I have so many tears in my eyes?

There are several possible reasons to have watery eyes:

  • Due to allergies
  • Blocked tear ducts
  • Conjunctivitis 
  • Dry eyes
  • Problems with cornea

9. When should you see a doctor for watery eyes?

Although watery eyes clear up on their own sometimes, it may lead to serious consequences in a few cases. Seek medical help immediately if you have watery eyes with:

  • Pain or bruising around your eyes
  • Bleeding from eye
  • Severe headache
  • Reduced vision
  • Foreign particle stuck in your eyes

10. How do you stop a watery eye?

A few of the common remedies to stop a watery eye are: rinsing your eyes with water, using eye drops, removing eye irritation elements like dust and makeup from the eyes. If these don’t work, see your eye doctor who can diagnose the condition better with tests and treatment.

11. What is the best medicine for watery eyes?

Consult your eye doctor. He/she will prescribe you the right eye drops for watery eyes. If you have watery eyes due to any allergy, treat the allergies first. Your doctor may prescribe you antibiotics for infection or a surgery to clear your blocked tear ducts.

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FAQs On Eye Treatment in Kolkata

Our eye specialists are often asked questions such as why an annual eye examination is important or how diabetes affects eye health or how to avail the best eye treatment in kolkata. Here we have answered some of the most frequently asked questions on eye treatment that you might find useful:

  • Why are annual eye examinations important? Eye conditions such as cataracts, diabetic retinopathy and glaucoma do not show any early symptoms. During a comprehensive annual eye exam, an eye doctor evaluates the health and condition of the eyes, giving you a better chance at getting the treatment at the right time. Certain conditions cannot be reversed but their progress can be slowed down with the right treatment. People suffering from diabetes and high blood pressure are often recommended to undergo frequent eye tests.
  • What is the most common eye treatment for refractive errors? Refractive errors are the most common type of vision problem. Refractive errors such as nearsightedness, farsightedness and presbyopia occur when there is a problem with the shape of the cornea and it cannot focus light accurately on the retina. Eyeglasses are the simplest and safest way to correct refractive errors. Some people also get refractive surgery like LASIK surgery done to change the shape of the cornea and reduce dependence on eyeglasses or contact lenses.
  • What is diabetic eye damage and can it be reversed? High blood sugar levels are not good for your overall health and your eyes are no exception. High blood sugar can lead to eye conditions such as blurry vision, cataracts, glaucoma and diabetic retinopathy. According to a study, diabetes is the primary cause of blindness in adults. Diabetes damages the blood vessels in the retina. The damage cannot be reversed but by seeking timely treatment the condition can be slowed down.
  • How to prevent diabetic eye conditions? If you are diabetic, get a comprehensive dilated eye examination at least once a year. Control your blood sugar, blood pressure and cholesterol levels. Try to quit smoking. If you smoke, your risk of diabetes-related eye diseases is higher. Exercising regularly is good for your eyes as it helps you keep your blood sugar, blood pressure and cholesterol levels in check.
  • How often should a child get his/her eyes tested? Infants should have their first eye exam at six months. Young children should have their eye tests latest by age three. Here’s a useful guide for parents on scheduling paediatric eye exams. In our Kolkata branch and other branches in West Bengal, we have highly experienced paediatric ophthalmologists who can help you ensure that your child’s eyes are developing normally.
  • What are cataracts and is surgery the best treatment option? Cataract forms when the proteins in the eyes clump together causing them to cloud the lens of the eye. As the condition advances, you may have problems with reading and driving at night. Cataract surgery is the best way to remove cataracts. During the surgery, the damaged lens is replaced by an artificial one.
  • Is there a treatment for glaucoma? Glaucoma is a condition that damages the eye’s optic nerve due to increased eye pressure. The condition worsens over time and can even lead to loss of vision. Though the damage caused can’t be reversed, treatment such as prescription eye drops, oral medications, laser treatment and surgery can help slow or prevent vision loss, particularly when the condition is detected in its early stages.

If you have any doubts or concerns about your eye health, get in touch with our eye specialists at Disha Eye Hospitals. They can help you maintain good eye health by advising you the right eye treatment plan.