Sunday, August 9, 2009

EYE PRESSURE OR GLAUCOMA:INDIA'S CHALLENGES AHEAD

Glaucoma is the second leading cause of preventable blindness in India. With a rapidly growing ageing population there will be 16 million patients of glaucoma by 2020.
The World Glaucoma Association has set a goal of reducing the undiagnosed rate of glaucoma from 50% to "No more than 20% by 2020". According to R George (Indian Journal of Opthalmology Vol 56(2),2008)"this goal is attainable if we work together to increase awareness of glaucoma both among the public as well as among healthcare providers. We also need to ensure that quality eye examinations are available and performed by all eye care professionals in the country."

Sunday, June 21, 2009

Eye Bags, Puffy Eyes and Dark Circles under your eyes?

Dark Circles under your eyes?Baggy eyes?Puffiness of eyes?.......Most of your friends or colleagues would blame it on a lack of sleep.......not anymore.....
1. The main cause may actually be much more basic : The gravitational pull your skin. The longer you’re exposed to gravity (i.e., the older you get) the more your facial tissues sink toward the floor.
2.The other reason why we have bags under our eyes is the loosening of tissues due to the aging process.The upper and lower eyelids are composed of skin, muscle and fat. With age, the muscles weaken and can’t hold up the skin as tightly. Skin also changes because the collagen, a protein ,inside it degrades. Collagen keeps our skin taut by providing elasticity.Less collagen means wrinking and sagging of skin

3.Fat beneath the skin and muscle can result in under-eye puffiness .Frederic Brandt, M.D., a dermatologist in Miami and New York City mentions "aging causes the fat pad below the eye to thin, producing a sunken appearance.Fluids that get trapped in eye tissue can trigger puffiness, while excess fat in the area can produce a permanent puffy look."
4.Bloating too much alcohol and/or salt can make you retain water everywhere, including around the eyes.Irritants in the air such as pollutants also seem to exacerbate the bags.
5. Bags under the eyes is mainly hereditary.Thyroid, kidney and heart disease and use of some medications makebaggy eyes appear worse.So if your parents puffed up, then you probably will too at around the same age.

TREATMENT?????
1.In most cases resting and sleeping on anelevated pillow is the best you can do !!!

2.Cheap alternatives include folk remedies like cucumber slices and tea bags laid on top of closed eyes. People use them because they think the cooling from the cucumbers or the natural anti-diuretic in caffeinated tea might help.
3.Try eye gel. Gels can temporarily tighten the skin under your eyes,reducing the appearance of bags and fine wrinkles
4.Vitamin E: A natural and effective treatment is to use vitamin E oil and rub the oil overnight around your eyes.
5.Potato: Strain the juice of grated potato and saturate cotton wool pads withit or lay the grated vegetable on the eye between the muslin. Slicesof raw potato may soothe swollen eyelids and reduce swelling andpuffiness.
6.Castor Oil: A drop of perfectly fresh castor oil smeared along the eyelids may help remove puffiness.
7.Transconjunctival Lower Eyelid Blepharoplasty is a cosmetic surgery performed by eye surgeons and plastic surgeons.Dr.Rajesh Parekh, eye surgeon mentions that these days, many people are enhancing their faces with injected collagen and other facial fillers. Fillers work to plump up areas of the face . Restylane is a cosmetic filler that was approved by the FDA in 2003 is being used to treat under eye circles.