EYESIGHT
Lasik: some frequently asked questions
Millions of people worldwide have experienced a transformation in their lives with Lasik surgery. Yesterday’s dream of vision beyond glasses is today’s reality with Lasik. In my previous articles I have laid emphasis on the Lasik and Zyoptix-100 procedure and the benefit it offers.

It’s adieu to allergies!
Washington: A molecule designed to block cat allergies has been successfully tested in laboratory mice, as well as in human cells in a test tube in the University of California, Los Angeles.

Excessive exertion bad for heart
Washington: Researchers at the University College, London, have warned that excessive exertion or display of emotion can trigger off repeat heart attacks, some of which could prove to be fatal in the end.

Ayurveda & you
Osteoarthritis can hit anybody
Dr R. Vatsyayan
Though the word arthritis means inflammation of the joints, experts are of the opinion that it has many forms and types. This condition occurs among elderly people of either sex, but may appear at any age in a joint which has been damaged by disease or injury.

EYESIGHT
Lasik: some frequently asked questions

Millions of people worldwide have experienced a transformation in their lives with Lasik surgery. Yesterday’s dream of vision beyond glasses is today’s reality with Lasik.

In my previous articles I have laid emphasis on the Lasik and Zyoptix-100 procedure and the benefit it offers. There are many questions that come to one’s mind before one undergoes a refractive procedure. Here are some of the frequently asked questions:

The treatment is for patients 18 years or older who have myopia (near-sightedness) with or without astigmatism, or hyperopia and meet certain visual and medical criteria. The best candidates tend to be people who are dissatisfied with their contact lenses or glasses and are motivated to make a change, whether it is due to occupational or lifestyle reasons.

A thorough eye examination is performed to assess the health of the eye. The corneal contour and thickness are precisely measured in order to rule out any unseen abnormalities.

About 10-15 minutes for both eyes.

Anaesthetic drops usually allow the operation to be performed with minimal or no discomfort. Afterwards, the eye is a bit scratchy, but patients do not require any pain medications.

Yes! Most patients choose this option, as it is far more convenient.

Vision correction surgery is virtually painless. You will be seated in a comfortable chair. An assistant will apply drops to numb your eye before the Laser procedure and then clean around your eye with a special antibacterial solution. You will be awake and comfortable throughout the surgery. The surgeon will position a spring-like device (lid speculum) between your eyelids to keep your eye open. After the procedure your post-operative instruction will be revived and your follow-up appointment will be scheduled.

Immediately after surgery, your vision will be blurred for three-four hours. There will be a feeling of some minor discomfort usually a scratchy sensation. This will be relieved by the rewetting drops. Do not rub your eye! It is best to take a one-or-two hour nap. On the first day after surgery, your doctor will check your eyes to ensure that they are healing properly. Most patients return to work on the first day following surgery.

Protective glasses are recommended for a few weeks after refractive surgery. Avoid head bath and face wash for one week, you should not swim or apply eye makeup for three weeks after surgery. All other activities, including regular work and exercise, may be resumed on the first day following surgery.

You can resume most normal activities immediately after surgery. However, for at least two weeks you will need to avoid activities that would cause perspiration to run into the eyes.

Follow-up checks are required at one day one week one month. These examinations are included in the charge for the procedure.

Lasik improves the uncorrected vision in most patients who have the procedure. Over 90 per cent of patients with low-to-moderate myopia achieve 20/40 vision, which is good enough to drive without having to wear glasses. And many can expect to achieve 20/20 vision or better. Patients with high myopia (more than-8.00D and high hyperopia (more than +4.000D) should have lower expectations.

This will depend on number of factors, including your refractive error, your visual needs, and even your personality. It is important to understand that Lasik does not eliminate the need for reading glasses as one grows older.

After Lasik vision usually stabilises very quickly. Patients with large refractive errors may take up to six weeks or more to stabilise.

Most of the studies show that the Lasik procedure has minimal risk of complications. The overall complications rate is extremely low. Even if complications do occur, most of these are resolved within three months and do not result in long-term interference with vision. Lasik is a surgical procedure done on a delicate part of the eye, and complications can occur but very rarely.

Yes! Long term studies have shown the effect of Lasik to be permanent.

While the above answer take care of your basic information, another important aspect that need to be taken into consideration is the choice of surgeon and the centre for the procedure. You should choose a surgeon who is academically sound and in touch with the latest technology.

It’s adieu to allergies!

Washington: A molecule designed to block cat allergies has been successfully tested in laboratory mice, as well as in human cells in a test tube in the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA).

The researchers at ULCA and the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) claim these results could lead to a new therapy not only for human cat allergies, but also possibly for severe food allergies such as those to peanuts.

“This novel approach to treating cat allergies is encouraging news for millions of cat-allergic Americans. Moreover, these results provide proof-of-concept for using this approach to develop therapies to prevent deadly food allergy reactions as well,” says NIAID Director Anthony S. Fauci.

The injectable treatment works by stopping the release of a key chemical from cells involved in cat allergy reactions. That chemical, histamine, brings on allergy symptoms such as sneezing, wheezing, itching, watery eyes and sometimes asthma. When a cat- allergic person touches or inhales a protein found in cat saliva or dander (small scales from skin or hair), key immune system cells respond by spewing out histamine. Allergy experts estimate that 14 per cent of children (6 to 19 years old) are allergic to cats.

The treatment involves a molecule that loosely ties feline and a human protein together. The feline end is the notorious protein (called Fel d1) found in cat dander and saliva that causes discomfort in allergy sufferers. On the other end sits a piece of human antibody that attaches to a cell receptor which can stop allergic reactions. — ANI

Excessive exertion bad for heart

Washington: Researchers at the University College, London, have warned that excessive exertion or display of emotion can trigger off repeat heart attacks, some of which could prove to be fatal in the end.

“Physical exertion has an apparently paradoxic association with triggering” severe chest pain, heart attack or sudden death.

“Physically fit people enjoy a reduced risk of heart attacks, while inactive cardiac patients who suddenly engage in vigorous activity may do so at their peril,” claimed Philip Strike and Andrew Steptoe, the lead authors of the study.

Their findings appear in the current issue of Psychosomatic Medicine, and are based on a review of several studies carried out between 1970 and 2004.

The authors, however, point out that the absolute risk of cardiac events after any single bout of activity remains less than one in a million, including sexual activity, for normal healthy human. — ANI

Ayurveda & you
Osteoarthritis can hit anybody
Dr R. Vatsyayan

Though the word arthritis means inflammation of the joints, experts are of the opinion that it has many forms and types. This condition occurs among elderly people of either sex, but may appear at any age in a joint which has been damaged by disease or injury.

Osteoarthritis is often interpreted as “wear and tear” of the joints. Although there are many reasons that can cause OA and age is a risk factor, osteoarthritis is not an inevitable part of aging.

It is seen that OA can occur equally to thin and obese persons, but being overweight can increase the chances of getting osteoarthritis in the weight bearing joints such as hips, knee and spine. However, in many cases non-weight bearing joints may also be affected. Normally, osteoarthritis does not affect other joints except when they have been injured or put under unusual stress which can be occupational or related to sport activities. Apart from genetic predisposition, which is also cited as one of its reasons, many other types of arthritis can also end up as turning into OA.

Osteoarthritis, with its gradual onset, is initially accompanied by an aching pain arising after the joint has been used. “Vata” with its drying and eroding properties creates a patchy degeneration and ripping and wearing away of the articular cartilage that acts as a cushion between the bones of a joint. These changes occur at the points of maximum weight bearing, resulting in the exposure of the underlying bones.

With the advancement of the disease, a number of factors make the movement of affected joint limited and painful. Manifestations like muscular spasm, swelling, loss of cartilage and formation of bony outgrowths called osteophytes and friction sound, which can be felt or even heard in the joints, make the disease process complete.

Acharya Charaka has described osteoarthritis to be accompanied by piercing pain in small and big joints (parvabheda and sandhishoola), loss of muscular and bony tissues around the joints (mansakshya and asthikshya) and sleep disturbances resulting due to severe pain and discomfort.

According to ayurvedic pathology, the “vata” type osteoarthritis is marked by the drying up of the joint capsule. The “pitta” type is accompanied by inflammation where the joint appears to be red and hot to touch and is painful even without movement. In “kapha” type OA also the joint becomes stiff, swollen and bigger in size but appears to be cold. A little movement, rather than aggravating pain, tends to relieve it.

Diagnosis of OA can be made by opting for a number of methods which include the history of patient. The affected joint is examined for tenderness and swelling, crackling sound and the strength and range of motion of the joint. X- rays can help detecting cartilage loss, which is indicated by narrowing of the joint space leading to bone erosion and appearance of bony outgrowths.

— The writer is an ayurveda consultant based at Ludhiana