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| HEALTH & FITNESS |
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Bring tears to your eyes How homeopathy helps in menopause
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Bring tears to your eyes
THE dry eye syndrome is a common condition, caused due to various lifestyle factors like air pollution, smoking, vehicular smoke, excessive use of gadgets like computers, iPods, mobiles, and the also use of air conditioners, heaters etc. Other factors like sedentary habits, excessive use of various cosmetics and chemicals can have an impact on the quality of our vision. Hormonal changes are also a cause of the dry eye syndrome (DES); causing changes in tear production e.g. menopausal women are most often affected by dry eye. Older men are also affected by this problem. Nearly 50 per cent of the population suffers from this problem. However, it is more prevalent among women and older individuals. Conditions that affect the lachrymal gland or its ducts, including auto-immune diseases like lupus and rheumatoid arthritis, lead to decreased tear secretion and dry eye. Tear secretion may also be reduced by conditions that decrease corneal sensation e g. diabetes and herpes zoster. Medications such as diuretics for high blood pressure; Beta-blockers for heart or high blood pressure; antihistamines for allergies; sleeping pills; anti-anxiety medications; pain relievers etc. can cause DES. The condition is quite common and most of us may suffer from it either persistently or under certain situations. Dry eye syndrome Sometimes people don't produce enough tears or the right quality of tears to keep their eyes healthy and moist. This condition is known as dry eye. In a normal eye there is a tear film in front of the cornea that lubricates, nourishes, and protects the eye from dust and other irritants. Spread by blinking (about every six seconds), it keeps the surface of the eye optically clear and smooth, and also protects from infection. This film has several layers of fluid viz. the lipid, or oil layer; the watery layer; and mucus layer and is not like ordinary water in its composition. All three layers of tears are necessary for proper lubrication. Persons with dry eye syndrome have tears that are mostly water and evaporate quickly, providing little protection to the eye. Symptoms Dry eyes are dry, irritated and uncomfortable eyes. Sometimes excess production of water from the lachrymal gland in dry eyes results in watery eyes. Other symptoms include eye strain, sensitivity to light, headache, blurred vision, pain and foreign body sensation, itching in the eyes, red or burning eyes. Even repeated splashing of water in the eyes does not give any relief, instead it worsens the condition. People prone to DES may also find their eyes feel more uncomfortable after reading or watching television at a stretch. Constant eye strain can result in headache or neck-ache, which may be the leading symptom. If not treated early the dry eyes can progress to ulcer formation and opacity of the cornea resulting in permanent loss of vision. A test called the Schirmer's tear test is usually done to diagnose DES. It involves placing filter-paper strips under the lower eyelids to measure the rate of tear production under various conditions. Another way your doctor can diagnose dry eye is by putting special eye drops in the eye then studying how long it takes for dry spots to develop on the cornea after a blink. It is called tear break up time (TBUT). The dye test can also be used to look for certain staining patterns that show any damage to the surface of the cornea. Treatment Eye drops called artificial tears are used as substitute tears. If you need to use artificial tears more than every two hours, preservative-free brands may be better for you. These lubricate the eyes and help maintain moisture. The use of cyclosporine drops, work by stimulating tear production. It treats the underlying inflammation that's causing the problem, but only 25 per cent to 30 per cent of patients are benefited and cyclosporine doesn't work in every patient. Steroid eye drops may also be used occasionally. Surgical options include Lacrisert, a tiny insert filled with a lubricating ingredient (hydroxypropyl cellulose) placed just inside the lower eyelid, where it continuously releases lubrication. Other option is to close outlet channels temporarily with plugs to conserve your own tears and make artificial tears last longer. One more option is to permanently seal the opening of tear ducts by using heat cautery. Supplementary measures may include drinking more water to improve general hydration of the body, treating any inflammation of the lids and the measures mentioned under prevention. Some people may find dry eye relief by supplementing their diet with Omega-3 fatty acids, which are found naturally in foods like oily fish (salmon, sardines, anchovies) and flax seeds. Recent research A recent study found evidence that increasing dietary fatty acids especially Omega-3s can improve dry eye symptoms. The study's primary outcome was an increase in tear break-up time (TBUT). At 30 days, TBUT had increased from a mean of 3.9 seconds to 5.67 seconds in the study group. Schirmer's test showed improvement of 22.3 per cent in this group. In another research in Japan use of 2 per cent rebamipide suspension was found superior to a 0.1 per cent sodium hyaluronate solution for treatment of dry eye. — The writer is a
Chandigarh-based eye specialist Tips to prevent dry eyes
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How homeopathy helps in menopause THERE is often a fear in the minds of women about menopause. Many misconceptions are prevalent about this natural event in the life of a woman. It is important to understand what menopause is and why it happens. The literal meaning of the word is pause or cessation of menses. It is a natural, physiological and perfectly normal event in a woman's life. Menopause is not a disease. It just signals the end of the fertile period in a woman. It usually happens in the early fifties to early sixties but some women may experience it earlier too. The process The ovaries contain millions of eggs at the time of birth. These eggs die as the age progresses. Only a fraction of these eggs remain when a woman reaches her fifties. Moreover, the ovaries become resistant to the effect of the Follicle Stimulating Hormone (FSH), the hormone responsible for the occurrence of ovulation. The hormone oestrogen that is produced primarily by the ovaries has many roles in the functioning of blood vessels, the heart, the breasts and the uterus. At the time of menopause the ovaries stop the producing oestrogen. Reduction in the oestrogen levels in the body is responsible for a large number of symptoms that occur during and after menopause. Symptoms The most common symptoms are mood swings, hot flashes, palpitation and anxiety, bouts of perspiration, headache, sleeplessness and irritability. Most of these symptoms occur because of the deficiency of oestrogen. Oestrogen is known to protect the body from coronary artery disease and brain strokes. That is why the incidence of heart disease and brain stroke is less in pre-menopausal women as compared to men. After menopause this protection is lost and the incidence of these diseases increases in women manifold. Bone density is also reduced much faster after menopause in women vis-a vis men of a similar age and osteoporosis becomes more common. Lining of the vaginal wall atrophies and the mucous production is reduced causing dryness in the vagina. This leads to pain during intercourse and also frequent infections. Diet and supplement Soya products have been found to alleviate heat flashes and perspiration as it contains high levels of phytoestrogen, also known as 'plant oestrogen'. To prevent loss in bone density, calcium intake, whether in form of diet as found in milk and yoghurt, or as supplements, is helpful. Role of homoeopathy Homoeopathic medicines are made from highly-diluted natural substances. These do not contain any synthetic hormones and are perfectly safe for the treatment of symptoms associated with menopause. Homoeopathic medicines like Lachesis, Sepia, Sulphur and Pulsatilla are often used for the treatment of the symptoms being experienced by menopausal women. These medicines are highly effective in curing all problems that occur during the menopausal period. It is pertinent to mention here that all medicines mentioned above need the expert supervision of an experienced doctor and do not afford any chance of self medication. — The writer is a
Mohali-based homoeopath
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New York: People with hypertension who regularly monitor their own blood pressure tend to have lower numbers than those who don’t use a home blood pressure monitor, a new review of past studies suggests. The analysis showed self-monitoring was most successful when paired with extra resources for patients, such as online materials or phone calls with health workers.
— Reuters Health Procedure may reduce stroke risk New York:
A heart procedure may be an effective alternative for treating the leading cause of strokes in the U.S., an abnormal heart rhythm called atrial fibrillation, says new study. In a group of 38,000 people, researchers compared individuals with similar stroke risk profiles, and found that those with atrial fibrillation who underwent the catheter ablation procedure fared better than those on medications alone over three years.
— Reuters Health Anorexic girls also have autistic traits New York: Scientists studying girls with the eating disorder anorexia have found they show a mild echo of the characteristics of autism — a finding which could point to new ways of helping anorexics overcome their illness. A study by the leading autism expert Simon Baron-Cohen at Cambridge University’s Autism Research Centre found that compared to typical girls, those with anorexia have an above-average number of autistic traits.
— Reuters |
Avoid direct blowing of air in eyes from hair dryers, car heaters, air conditioners or fans.
Self-monitoring tied to lower blood pressure