Healthy Eyes

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Healthy eyes-Dr. Manorama Agarwal (Eye specialist)Eyes have an important place in our body and it is only because of eyes that we are able to see this wonderful creation of god. Eye disease develops due to smoke, dust, pollution and different types of germs. In such situations, it was our responsibility to be aware towards protection of eyes and to be always careful towards health of eyes.

If a person becomes blind accidentally, what will happen? That person has to spend his whole life in darkness. As soon as we notice some problems related to eye, we should immediately see an eye specialist and get the treatment. Vision related problems occur with increasing age and it is a natural process. There are several eye related problems but here  we will talk about mainly two eye problems. They are cataract and glaucoma and night blindness. 

Cataract and glaucoma:Cataract is an eye disease that generally occurs in elderly people. It affects the vision and the person suffering from this problem is unable to see properly. In

today’s scenario, cataract is the reason for blindness. The other causes include age related molecular degeneration, glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy, trachoma, eyeinjury or vitamin A deficiency. Today, around 50 percent of people in our country are blind due to cataract. World Healthy Organization had first analysed the

problems related to vision, blindness and eye diseases in 1999. The figures collected by the organization in this area show that around 20 percent of the people in the world are suffering from vision problems and around 50 crore people are blind. WHO has expressed concern

towards the probability of increase in this figure by 2020. Cataract is curable with surgery but it can be prevented if proper care is taken in the initial stagesitself. Glaucoma can be prevented with regular eye tests. Diabetes has a negative effect on the health of eyes and vision. Diabetes patients should control blood

sugar level and protect their eyes. Proper sleep is necessary in order to maintain healthy eyes. Every person should get six to eight hoursof quality sleep. Sufficient sleep gives rest to optic nerves, which keeps the eyes healthy. If a person has short or long sightedness then it is recommended to

consult an eye specialist and use glasses. Exercise:Blood circulation to eyes is a continuous process like other parts of the body. Proper blood circulation to the eyes helps in proper functioning of the eyes.

Sarvangasana can be practiced under the guidance of a qualified Yog teacher in order to protect eyes. Diet:Balanced and nutritious food keeps the eyes and body healthy. Food items rich in vitamin A should be consumed. Papaya, carrot, tomato are good sources of

vitamin A. fruits and green vegetables should be included in daily diet. Dry fruits, seasonal fruits should be consumed in order to get sufficient amount of vitaminsand minerals. Whole grains should also be included in the daily diet.

Tips  Consult an eye specialist immediately in case some thing gets pierced in the eyes, injury, fire spark entering the eye due to some reason etc.  In case of chemical injury to the eyes, do not touch the eyes without washing hands and do not try to open the eyes forcibly.

  Brush the teeth in the morning and fill the mouth with so much water that pressure is felt in the cheeks due to swelling of cheeks. Splash water on eyes andrepeat it several times. Fill mouth with water and rinse it. This process cleans the eyes and also improves blood circulation to the eyes.

   If you are involved in work that exerts lot of pressure on the eyes then wash the eyes with clean water several times. Rotate the eyes in all directions, clockwiseand anticlockwise and also in circular motion. Close the eyes, and put warm palms on the eyes to improve health of the eyes. 

Night blindness:It is also known as Nyetalopia. The patient loses night vision gradually in this case. However, the patientcan see everything clearly during daytime but the vision gets affected after sunset. It is possible to meet with

accident or get injured in this case. This is caused due to the deficiency of vitamin A. ]Reasons: This problem is caused due to inborn retina defect, chronic simple glaucoma, long sightedness, degenerative

myopia, external retinitis, imbalance in retina pigment, shifting of retina, jaundice, stomach worms, swellingin liver, hysteria and other problems. Malnutrition is also a major reason for night blindness.

Protection  Do not see towards bright light and welding machine. Protect eyes from any kind of injury.   Diabetes patients are more prone to eye problems.Therefore, they should medicines regularly and maintain diet restrictions.

Diet:Consume tomato, mango, cabbage and honey. These food items contain elements that improve eyesight.It is beneficial for patients of night blindness. Leafy vegetables, cabbage, carrot, apple, orange, milk, curd, butter should also be consumed. Sprouts and fruit juices

are also beneficial.Food items to improve eyesight:Fruits like apple, orange, grapes, banana, wood apple, musk melon, papaya, mango, and guava are beneficial.All these fruits contain elements that improve eyesight. Vegetables like Cholai, turnip, spinach, fenugreek, brinjal, tomato, carrot, bitter gourd, cabbage,

potato, are beneficial. Dry fruits like almond, cashewnut, walnut, cardamom, dates, dry dates are very beneficial.Mix lemon juice and sweet lime juice in sugarcane juice. Eat light, nutritious and easily digestible food to protect all types of eye problems. Avoid consumption

of watermelon, alcohol, spicy and fried food. Smoking is also harmful for eyesight.Besides remaining awake till late hours at night, exposure to bright sunlight or cold weather is harmful for eyes. 

Eyes are the priceless gift of nature. Protection of eyes is extremely important to lead a long and healthy life. Therefore, proper care should be taken in order toprotect the eyes from different types of problems. One can see the world only with good eyesight.