COMMON EYE PROBLEMS

There are more than 200 eye conditions. Some common conditions are,

• Eyestrain- It is the most commonly existing eye problem, eyestrain refers to a common condition in which your eyes get tiresome and fatigued due to intense use; for instance, after looking at a computer screen (or other digital screens) for a prolonged time period and driving long distances.
• Refractive Errors [short-sightedness, farsightedness, distorted vision] - Uncorrected refractive error is a preventable cause of visual impairment in India.
• Dry eye syndrome - Tear glands are not able to make enough tears.
• Night Blindness [Nyctalopia] - Difficulty to see in low light.
• Conjunctivitis [Allergic / bacterial / Viral] - It is an inflammation of the conjunctiva.
• Amblyopia - It is reduced vision in one eye due to vision development disorder.
• Eye floaters - Spots [strings, rings, cobwebs] in the vision.
• Macular degeneration- Macular degeneration is a chronic, progressive disease that gradually destroys sharp central vision due to a deterioration of the macula, a tiny spot in the central portion of your retina comprised of millions of light-sensing cells. Because it is so commonly associated with aging,
• Diabetic Retinopathy-Diabetic retinopathy is basically a diabetes complication, which affects eyes by causing damage to the blood vessels spread throughout the light sensitive tissues of the retina (the back of the eye).
• Retinal Detachment-When the retina is separated or detached from its underlying tissues holding it in its place within the eye, the instance is referred to as the retinal detachment. Sometimes, it all begins with small areas of the retina being torn (attributed as retinal tears or retinal breaks), eventually leading to retinal detachment.
• Dry Eyes Syndrome-One of the functions of tears is to keep your eyes lubricated, and when they fail to provide adequate lubrication for the eyes, you are being affected by dry eye syndrome.
• Blepharitis - Inflammation of the eyelid causing crusty /dry eyelid, stickiness, grittiness.
• Cataract: A cataract is an opacity within the clear lens of the eye
• Glaucoma - It is a condition where increased intraocular pressure may result in damage to the optic nerve.
• Uveitis-This is the name collectively given to a group of eye diseases causing inflammation in the uvea, the eye's middle layer containing the most blood vessels. Uveitis may also result in destruction of eye tissue, leading to the loss of eye in some cases.
• Night Blindness (Nyctalopia)-‘Nyctalopia’ or night blindness is a kind of vision impairment in which people are unable to see rightly at night or in other dimly lit environments. Unlike commonly perceived, night blindness doesn’t totally prevent you from seeing at night. You might only feel increased difficulty in seeing or driving in places not adequately lit.
• Strabismus (Crossed Eyes)- Strabismus (or “Crossed Eyes”) represents misaligned eyes pointing in different directions and this misalignment can either be intermittent or constant. Strabismus exists in four common forms, i.e. “esotropia” and “exotropia”, “hypotropia” and “hypertropia”.
• Macular Edema- Macula is the central region of the retina (constituted by the light sensitive tissues located at the back of the eye, wherein macula within the retina serves for sharp, straight-ahead vision) and unwanted buildup of fluids there is referred as the “Macular Edema”.
• Color Blindness-Color blindness, also known as color deficiency is an eye condition when the pigments found in eye cones have some problem and you cannot see the colors in the normal manner.
• Proptosis-The phenomenon of protrusion of the eyeball is referred as “Proptosis”, also termed as “Exophthalmos” when such protrusion is caused by the “Graves’ disease”.
• Presbyopia-Human eyes’ inability to focus on nearby objects due to gradual loss of vision is referred to as “Presbyopia”, an eye disease normally associated with aging. Mostly, it remains unnoticeable until early to mid 40s and continues progression until 65 years of age or so.
• Farsightedness (Hypermetropia)-Unlike myopia, hypermetropia or farsightedness refers to an eye condition when you have a clear vision looking at far placed things, while getting a blurry vision of nearby objects.
• Nearsightedness (Myopia)-When you can view the objects close to you clearly enough, while getting a blurry vision of the objects far away, this eye condition is referred to as myopia or nearsightedness.
• Astigmatism-When your vision gets out of focus due to the abnormally curved cornea (the clear tissue lining the front of the eye), this eye disorder is referred to as ‘astigmatism’ or ‘keratoconus’.
• Eye Floaters-Strings, black/gray specks or cobwebs drifting around with the movement of your eyes and darting away when trying to look through them, eye floaters are basically spots in your vision.

SYMPTOMS

• Change in iris color
• Crossed eyes
• Dark spot in the center of your field of vision
• Grittiness (the feeling that there is sand in the eye)
• Difficulty focusing on near or distant objects
• Double vision
• Dry eyes with itching or burning
• Episodes of cloudy vision
• Excess discharge or tearing
• Eye pain
• Floaters or flashers
• Headache
• Growing bump on the eyelid
• Halos (colored circles around lights) or glare
• Hazy or blurred vision
• Inability to close an eyelid
• Loss of peripheral vision
• Redness around the eye
• Spots in your field of vision
• Sudden loss of vision
• Trouble adjusting to dark rooms
• Unusual sensitivity to light or glare
• Veil obstructing vision
• Wavy or crooked appearance to straight lines
• Mucus production in and around the eyes
• Dry,Watery and red eyes
• The foreign body inside the eye and trauma to the eye

CAUSES

• Infection
• Allergy
• Vitamin A, E, C & B deficiency
• Chemical irritants
• Genetics
• Smoking
• Aging
• Hereditary
• UV-Rays
• Dietary and proteins deficiency

PREVENTION

• Reduce alcohol consumption
• Quit smoking
• Protect eyes from the sun
• Reduce screen time
• Have regular sight tests
• Follow contact lens hygiene advice
• Attend screening
• Exercise caution with children’s toys
• Handle chemicals with caution
• Wear protective eyewear
• Practise good eye drop compliance and technique

RISK FACTORS

• Blood pressure
• Cholesterol
• Blood sugar
• Intraocular pressure
• Alcohol
• Smoking
• Genetic
• Elderly
• People who work in chemical factories

DIAGNOSIS

• Angiography- In general, angiography involves injecting dye into blood vessels to make them more visible on imaging tests
• Fluorescein angiography- allows a doctor to clearly see the blood vessels at the back of the eye.
• Indocyanine green angiography- allows doctors to see the blood vessels of the retina and choroid.
• Electroretinography-allows a doctor to examine the function of the light-sensing cells (photoreceptors) in the retina by measuring the response of the retina to flashes of light.
• Ultrasonography-used to determine the nature of abnormal structures, such as a tumor or retinal detachment.
• Pachymetry-measuring the thickness of the cornea is very important in refractive eye surgery, such as laser in situ keratomileusis (LASIK).
• Optical Coherence Tomography-provides high-resolution images of structures at the back of the eye, such as the optic nerve, retina, choroid, and vitreous humor.
• Computed Tomography (CT) and Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)-can be used to provide detailed information about the structures inside the eye and the bony structure that surrounds the eye (the orbit).
• Refraction -is the procedure examiners use to assess focusing errors. Problems with visual acuity (sharpness of vision) that result from refractive errors, such as nearsightedness, farsightedness, astigmatism, and presbyopia are diagnosed by refraction.

TREATMENT

The treatment for the eye problems depends on the cause of the pain. The most common treatments include:

• Home care-The best way to treat many of the conditions that cause eye pain is to allow your eyes to rest. Staring at a computer screen or television can cause eyestrain, so your doctor may require you to rest with your eyes covered for a day or more.
• Glasses-If you frequently wear contact lenses, give your corneas time to heal by wearing your glasses.
• Warm compress-Doctors may instruct people with blepharitis or a sty to apply warm, moist towels to their eyes. This will help to clear the clogged oil gland or hair follicle.
• Flushing-If a foreign body or chemical gets into your eye, flush your eye with water or a saline solution to wash the irritant out.
• Antibiotics-Antibacterial drops and oral antibiotics may be used to treat infections of the eye that are causing pain, including conjunctivitis and corneal abrasions.
• Antihistamines-Eye drops and oral medicines can help ease the pain associated with allergies in the eyes.
• Eye drops-People with glaucoma may use medicated eye drops to reduce the pressure building in their eyes.
• Corticosteroids-For more serious infections, such as optic neuritis and anterior uveitis (iritis), your doctor may give you corticosteroids.
• Pain medications-If the pain is severe and causes an interruption to your day-to-day life, your doctor may prescribe a pain medicine to help ease the pain until the underlying condition is treated.
• Surgery-Surgery is sometimes needed to repair damage done by a foreign body or burn. However, this is rare. Individuals with glaucoma may need to have a laser treatment to improve drainage in the eye.

EFFECTIVENESS OF ACUPUNCTURE

Acupuncture can be effective at treating a wide range of conditions of the eye. For some conditions, such as macular degeneration, retinitis pigmentosa, Stargardt’s disease, and other retinal diseases which have no treatment in Western medicine, acupuncture is the treatment of choice. For other diseases, such as cataracts (in the early stage) and chronic (open-angle) glaucoma, acupuncture can be beneficial as an adjunct therapy to Western medical treatment.

In addition to severe or chronic eye conditions, acupuncture can boost overall visual acuity, reduce sensitivity to light, reduce or eliminate eye floaters, blurred vision, and dry eyes, decrease excessive tearing, and heal reddened, swollen, and/or painful eyes.

MECHANISM OF ACUPUNCTURE

In traditional Chinese medicine, it is said that the spirit “shows in the eyes and is housed in the heart.” The Liver meridian is often implicated in eye disease as the Liver “opens to the eyes” and is the primary energy flow meridian responsible for supporting healthy vision.

Additionally, all internal organs nourish the eyes and all meridians run through the eyes, and can all impact healthy vision if out of balance.Acupuncture gives the best remedy for all eye problems.

The following areas are focused on during acupuncture for eye health.

• UB-1- This point is thought to bring Qi and blood to the eyes and to help eye problems such as cataracts, glaucoma, night blindness, conjunctivitis and blurry vision.
• UB-2 - This point is the focus when patients complain of a headache, blurred vision, pain, tearing, redness, eye twitching, and glaucoma.
• Yuyao -This point is used for treating eye strain, eyelid twitching, ptosis (upper eyelid that hangs low), cloudiness of the cornea, redness, and swelling.8
• SJ 23 - It is thought to be a point where acupuncture can be performed to help eye and facial pain including headaches, redness, eye pain, blurred vision, eye toothache and facial paralysis.
• GB 1-This point is thought to brighten the eyes. Manipulation of this point also helps treat headache, redness, eye pain, light sensitivity, dry eyes, cataracts, and conjunctivitis.

BEST CURE FOR EYE PROBLEMS

Looking for the best relief for all eye problems in Chennai, here’s why you should reach out to the expert Acupuncturist. A. Shaji Bharath from the best rated clinic Dr.Bharath’s Acu Heal. He is currently treating patients for a wide range of conditions. As a best acupuncture practitioner with 15 years of experience, and having worked with several ophthalmologists and optometrists, Acupuncturist. A. Shaji Bharath can create the treatment plan for the best cure for all eye problems to manage the condition that's tailored to your needs, which can break a cycle of long-lasting pain and discomfort in the eyes. As the top acupuncture doctor in Chennai he has witnessed acupuncture doing wonders for people suffering from eye problems. The effectiveness rate increases several times just with one course of Acupuncture. So, take some time to find the right pain management and best remedy for acupuncture approach that suits you. Most of the people swear by acupuncture, citing it as a best cure and a ‘miracle’ to improving their quality of life. To contact the top acupuncture doctor in Chennai, Dial: +91 9884746916 or Visit: drbharathsacuheal.com for more details.

BEST ACUPUNCTURE DOCTOR NEAR ME

To choose the Best doctor for Acupuncture, it's important that the Acupuncturist should have a decade of experience and treated at least 1000 to 2000 patients.

You can also search for the Best Acupuncture Doctor near me or ask your primary care physician to refer an experienced Acupuncturist nearby. Once you find the Best Acupuncture Doctor in Chennai, you may go through their google reviews first and then fix an appointment with the doctor only when you are satisfied with the reviews.

The Best Acupuncture Doctor should address your concerns and help you feel more comfortable before your first session. Acupuncture usually takes numerous sessions or several weeks to get a complete cure in any ailment but within 3 or 4 sessions the patients will experience positive differences.

BEST ACUPUNCTURE CLINIC NEAR ME

There are numerous clinics popping up and it is sometimes skeptical to choose the best or even the safe one. To address such concerns, you can look into the following points to choose the best acupuncture clinic for treating eye problems. Acupuncture is also offered in hospital pain clinics and by healthcare organizations but it is ideal to visit the best Acupuncture Clinic. If you are not sure, it would be a good idea to contact your local doctor to see if they would be prepared to refer to the best rated acupuncture clinics.Acupuncture is offered in top rated acupuncture clinics near me because conventional treatment has failed or produces unacceptable side effects. Most of the best acupuncture clinics will spell out very clearly what type of acupuncture they practice and how professional they are - at present anyone can set themselves up as an acupuncturist but reputable practitioners will belong to an organization. So while you are filtering the best clinics for acupuncture that treats eye problems, you can look out for these factors.Treatment without drug for eye problems is possible through acupuncture and it gives the best result.

We have been rewarded a 5-star rating from Google & Practo. You can also check the reviews there.

THE BOTTOM LINE

Eyes are highly complex and sensitive of body parts requiring extra care preservation if you want them to last you long enough to live a healthy, vibrant and colorful life and In addition to taking care of them personally, make sure to be observant about any problematic signs and symptoms and respond by consulting the doctor, so that your eyes can get professional care and treatment before it’s too late.dial: +91 9884746916 or Visit: drbharathsacuheal.com for more details.

SCIENTIFIC REFERENCES

• Ava K. Bittner, OD et. al. , A pilot study of an acupuncture protocol to improve visual function in retinitis pigmentosa patients, Clinical and Experimental Optometry, May, 2014.
• The English-Chinese Encyclopedia of Practical Traditional Chinese Medicine, Volume 17, Ophthalmology, p. 8-10. Beijing, China: Higher Education Press
• Acupuncture therapy is more effective than artificial tears for dry eye syndrome: evidence based on a meta-analysis. Yang L et al. Evidence Based Complementary Alternative Medicine May, 2015

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FAQ:

What are the services provided for eye problems by Dr. Bharath’s Acu Heal?

With age, the eyes' ability to stay lubricated starts to wane. This can leave eyes feeling irritated, sticky, dry, or gritty. The lens of the eye can become less elastic. Night vision may also start to suffer, which can pose problems when driving at night. In contrast, cataracts, macular degeneration, and diabetic retinopathy can rob you of your sight.

After a thorough investigation by pulse and tongue diagnosis, condition of the disease is understood by the Acupuncturist .

The treatment will be given based on the disease’s chronicity and acuteness. In the first few sessions, positive changes in symptoms may be experienced and after several more sessions there are 80 to 90% chance that the patient be cured of the disease .

This treatment will help in inducing sound sleep which will help and play a vital role in reversing most of the ailments.

What are the benefits of acupuncture for eye problems?

This is a drugless therapy and there are no side effects. During or after completing the course of treatment any form of medication if any can be stopped.

How many sessions do you need for eye problems?

It takes around 10 to 25 sessions in a period of 1 to 3 months.