Our eyes are the most delicate sense organs in our body and are intended for perfect vision. The power of eyes may not be the same for all and certain eye disorders require glasses or contact lenses to be worn depending on the condition. While contact lenses are a good alternative to glasses and come with their benefits, they can lead to great damage to your eyes if not properly taken care.

     If you are not following the correct instructions or taking proper care of your contact lenses it might affect your eyes in a bad way leading to an eye infection. Hence, extra care must be taken when wearing contact lenses as well as caring for them. Practicing unhealthy and unhygienic habits while wearing contact lenses can lead to blurry vision and infection, which is why in this blog we detail some of the bad contact lens habits to leave behind.

1. Not changing the contact lens solution every day 

      Your contact lens solution comes with an expiry date, be sure to discard the solution after its expiry date. The contact solution if turned old will not provide adequate disinfection hence always make sure to use a new and fresh contact lens solution. Not changing the contact lens solution every day will result in an eye infection. 

2. Wearing contact lenses for far too long 

     Contact lenses must be worn for a maximum of 10 to 12 hours only, your eyes breathe by absorbing oxygen through the air, and the contact lenses limit the oxygen intake for they cover the cornea. If worn for a longer time the contact lenses can be exposed to a lot of dirt. Disposable contact lenses are also available in the market, hence make sure to follow the manufacturer’s guidelines regarding the recommended time it should be used.

3. Wearing contact lenses to bed 

      Contact lenses are not designed to be worn throughout the day unless they are long-term contacts. Disposable contact lenses should ideally be removed before going to bed. There is a tendency for bacteria to grow if you sleep with your contact lenses on. Also, your eyes need more oxygen to breathe, and wearing contact lenses might act as a barrier while wearing them and sleeping.

 4. Wearing contact lenses in a pool, hot tub, or shower

     Water present in a pool, hot tub, or shower may contain chlorine, microorganisms, bacteria, and impurities which can cause the contact lens to change shape or be deformed.  

5. Not washing your hands when handling contact lenses 

    If you are going to handle contact lenses, make sure your hands are clean and washed because if your hand contains oil or dirt then it could transfer to your eyes and lead to infection. Not washing your hands before handling contact lenses can contaminate your eyes. Use a handwash and dry your hands before touching the contact lenses. Do not touch the contact lens after applying scented lotions or creams as they can easily pass onto your eyes and cause infection.

6. Rubbing your eyes often

     Rubbing your eyes sparingly is ok, but excessive rubbing while wearing contact lenses can lead to irritation and eye infection. It is best to avoid rubbing your eyes, as it can damage your eyes.

7. Wearing contact lenses without consulting a doctor 

     Contact lenses should only be worn after consulting with an eye doctor, it is not a cosmetic accessory hence wearing them needs proper guidance from a professional doctor. Each person’s eye is unique hence only an experienced doctor can help overcome vision problems with the help of the right contact lens.

8. Cleaning contact lenses with water 

     Even if you do not have the contact lens solution at your disposal, you must not resort to using tap water to clean your lenses as they are not the most unhygienic way to clean your lenses. Tap water may also contain a lot of bacteria which can damage your eyes and cause infection.

     Avoiding these bad habits or keeping them at bay can prolong the life of your contact lens and keep your eyes in good health without causing any damage or eye infection. 

     Like any other organs in our body, our eyes are also prone to various diseases and infections due to genetic reasons, age, lifestyle, accidents, etc. While most eye problems can be cured if identified early and treated properly, some cannot be treated or cured. The best way to keep your eyes healthy is by getting them checked at a reputed eye clinic near you regularly.

    Your vision starts deteriorating once you start aging. Other reasons contributing to eye diseases can be controlled by simple changes in lifestyle. Some of the most common eye problems and conditions are:

Refractive errors 

     Refractive error is an eye condition that is seen even at a young age. The eye loses its ability to focus on an object, and clear vision is only attained with the help of a corrective glass prescribed by the doctor. Some of the most common refractive errors are myopia or near-sightedness, hyperopia or far-sightedness, astigmatism or distorted vision, and presbyopia. 

     Astigmatism is when the eyes are not completely round and you experience wavy or blurry vision. Some people are born with astigmatism and often with eye surgery and the use of corrective glasses and lenses, it can be treated.

     Presbyopia occurs between 40-50 years of age when you start losing the ability to focus your eye and to read books or newspapers, you need to hold it far away to see clearly. Refractive errors can be corrected by the use of eyeglasses, contact lenses, and even surgery in some cases. 

Corneal Abrasion

     Corneal Abrasion occurs when dirt or sand gets stuck in the eyes, and in an effort to get rid of it, rubbing them can cause a tear or scratch in the eyes. When you rub them too hard or poke your nails into them, corneal abrasion can occur. Symptoms of corneal abrasion are pain, blurred vision, sensitivity to light, redness, burning or stinging sensation, etc.

Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD)

     Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD) is an eye condition that occurs due to aging, harming the central vision. In AMD, the macula which is the central area of the retina is damaged. To see objects with clarity, central vision is necessary without which driving, reading or such routine activity may become tedious. 

AMD can be Wet or Dry. While Dry AMD is the initial stage of macular degeneration, Wet AMD is the advanced stage of the condition. Symptoms associated with AMD include seeing distorted images, losing visual acuity, and contrast sensitivity.

Treatments like laser therapy and the use of drugs will damage the abnormal blood vessels and prevent severe loss of vision and slow down the progress of the disease.

Retinal Detachment 

     Retinal detachment is a serious eye condition in which the retina detaches from its tissue, the condition becomes serious when left untreated leading to complete blindness. You may not experience any pain or warning signs but symptoms include vision problems like seeing floaters, flashing lights, seeing wiggly lines or dark spots, poor side vision etc. Retinal detachment can be treated by laser therapy and other surgical treatments.

Cataract 

     Cataract is the leading cause of blindness across the world. In this condition, the eye lens becomes cloudy and milky white. Effective, quick, and advanced surgery is now available for cataracts with no or reduced risk and faster recovery time. Cataracts occur in people when they start to age usually, from the age of 40 and above. Symptoms of cataracts include cloudy or blurry vision, seeing glare around lights at night, difficulty in seeing at night, sensitivity to bright light, unclear vision even with glasses and contact lenses, etc.

Diabetic Retinopathy

     Diabetes is the main cause and the biggest risk factor of Diabetic Retinopathy and one of the leading causes of blindness. Increased blood sugar levels can damage the blood vessels in the retina causing them to swell, leak or even stop the blood flow to the retina.

     Though the initial symptoms may not be clearly visible in people having diabetic retinopathy some of them may experience seeing floaters, blurred or distorted vision, seeing faded colours, poor night vision, seeing dark spots, etc.

     Diabetic retinopathy can be treated with surgery and also by changing your lifestyle and keeping your blood sugar levels under control.  

Glaucoma

     Glaucoma is the second leading cause of blindness damaging the eye’s optic nerve. In glaucoma, intraocular pressure, or the pressure inside the eyes increases causing obstruction in the transmission of images to the brain. Glaucoma if undetected and left untreated can cause blindness and vision loss. Glaucoma is of two types; 

• Open-angle glaucoma develops slowly and changes in vision may not be easily visible.
• Closed-angle glaucoma develops fast and you will experience pain and lose vision quickly.

    Symptoms experienced for glaucoma include eye pain or pressure, headache, red eyes, hazy eyes, nausea, vomiting, blurred vision, blind spots, a halo around lights, low vision, tunnel vision etc. 

Amblyopia

     Amblyopia or lazy eye is a condition in which only one eye encounters reduced vision due to abnormal visual developments formed in an early stage of life. Usually develops when the brain and one eye are not working together and the brain favors the other eye which can be seen better. The stronger eye will work better and the other eye becomes lazy.

     Though the eye may look normal, it is not being used normally. If not treated successfully, it can lead to one-eye vision impairment in children and adults. Unless it is successfully treated in children it can persist in adulthood too.

Strabismus 

     Strabismus or squint is a condition in which both eyes are not aligned in the same line and both of them are looking in opposite directions. Usually appearing in infants and young children from their time of birth, the crossed eye is seen in adults too.

     Symptoms of Strabismus include eyes not looking in the same direction, eyes not moving together, squinting or closing one eye in bright light, light sensitivity, etc.

Eye exercises, medication, use of contact lenses and glasses, and surgery are some of the options to treat Strabismus. If not treated, Strabismus can result in lazy eyes, blurry vision, eye strain, fatigue, headache, etc.

Keratoconus

     Keratoconus is a condition in which the usual clear and dome-shaped cornea that helps focus light into our eyes becomes thin and bulges out in the shape of a cone.

     The change in shape in the cornea makes it difficult for light to focus light into the eyes making driving and reading tough for vision to become blurry and distorted.

     Keratoconus occurs genetically and also by other eye allergies, disorders, and diseases. If you ever experience distorted or blurry vision, eye redness, swelling, or sensitivity to light, get your eyes checked for Keratoconus. Using corrective eyeglasses or lenses, corneal transplant, surgery, etc. 

     While these are only some of the most common eye problems or conditions, there are many other conditions related to our eyes. With regular eye exams and diagnosis, an ophthalmologist can detect eye problems at an early stage, and correct and treat them.

     These eye conditions can be cured by adopting lifestyle changes, taking proper eye care, eye exercises, and rest. Some eye conditions are asymptomatic; hence it is essential that you do  not make any compromise on your eye doctor visits to protect your eyes. Let’s start taking care of our eyes!

     There are a lot of myths associated with eye care, while care is essential too much care can often put your eyes in jeopardy. Most often these myths are not backed by any scientific data or explanation, which is why we felt the need to educate you and bring the facts forward so as to bust the existing myths on eye care.

Myth 1: Cataracts can be dissolved with eyedrops

     Fact: Cataracts are developed during the course of time and when you start aging, the lens in the eyes begins to lose its clarity and becomes cloudy making it difficult to see. Cataracts are simply defective lenses in the eyes and they cannot be dissolved with the use of any eye drops. The defective lens has to be removed through cataract surgery and replaced with a new one.

Myth 2:  Cataract surgery is dangerous

     Fact : Cataract surgery is the most safest and common surgery adopted by many with a very high success rate. It is completely painless with a faster recovery time without the need to even stay in the hospital. The use of the latest technology in cataract surgery makes sure that it is performed with precision and with the least risk or complications.

Myth 3: Reading in dim light can damage your eyes

     Fact: It is believed that when you read in dim light your eyes can be damaged and you might end up having headaches, eye fatigue, stress, etc. You might experience difficulty seeing and reading in dim light, but it won’t damage your vision in a long term. While it can make your eyes feel tired faster, reading under proper bright light can make your eyes less tiring and easier to read.

Myth 4:  Eating carrots can improve your vision

    Fact: Carrots essentially rich in Vitamin A helps to maintain eye health because of their nutrient content. Our eyes need only a small amount of Vitamin A for good vision and it can be obtained by consuming green leafy vegetables, dairy, fish, nuts, etc. Consuming food rich in Vitamin A can help maintain your eyesight but it will in no way improve your vision.

Myth 5:  Watching TV too close can harm your eyes

     Fact: Sitting close and watching TV can contribute to eye strain, dry eyes, or headache but it will not damage your eyes. Kids sit close to the TV only because they are engaged deeply in the content played on it. At times sitting close to the TV can also be an indication of nearsightedness in children which will require immediate attention from an eye doctor.

.Myth 6: If you cross your eyes, it will stay that way

     Fact: Your eye muscles are capable of moving in different directions; left, right, up, and down hence crossing them will not force them to stay in that position forever. Crossed eye or squint usually occurs because of any underlying nerve damage, eye disease, muscle damage, etc. Hence, feel free to move your eyes is all directions as it is the best exercise you can give to your eyes.

 Myth 7: Staring at a computer screen won’t damage your eyes

     Fact: Staring at the computer screen or any other digital device continuously without any breaks may become uncomfortable and tiring but it will not cause any damage to your eyes. Look away from the screen every 20 minutes, blink regularly, look at a faraway object or go for a short break to give your eyes rest from digital eye strain.

Myth 8: If you can see fine, you need not have an eye exam

     Fact: Having 20/20 vision is amazing but some eye diseases will not show any symptoms, so you will need to visit an eye doctor and get your eyes checked to make sure they are in a perfect and healthy state. Through detailed and comprehensive eye exams, your eye doctor will be able to analyze and diagnose any issues related to vision even though symptoms are not seen, for example; glaucoma.

 Myth 9: Wearing eyeglasses for a prolonged time can weaken your eyes.

     Fact: Continuous use of our nose to smell everything fragrant does not weaken the smelling power of the nose, the same applies to eyeglasses. Eyeglasses worn to correct nearsightedness, farsightedness, astigmatism, and presbyopia will not weaken the power of the eyes.

.If you are a person, who wears contact lenses or wear glasses, understand that these are just instruments to help improve vision for those suffering from vision and eye problems. As you grow old, your vision can start deteriorating and your eyeglasses are certainly not at fault here.

     Our eyes are very delicate organs that need proper care and protection. Our eyes help us see the world in its most beautiful and natural form. The health of our eyes should be a priority, for life without vision is not acceptable. Good quality vision is what improves the quality of life.

     To maintain healthy eyes, one needs to visit an eye practitioner on a regular basis to rule out any eye-related issues. While eating a balanced diet, maintaining a healthy weight, wearing protective eyewear, and avoiding smoking can contribute towards a healthy pair of eyes. Here are some suggestions on healthy habits to adopt for healthy eyes from Dr Rani Menon’s Eye Clinic.

     1. Wash your hands

It is a common belief that you should not touch your eyes with your hands, hence washing hands on a regular basis is essentially hygienic. Most of the commonly appearing vision problems occur when you touch your eyes with unwashed hands

There are a lot of diseases that can pass down from your hands to your eyes by simple touch and not maintaining basic hygiene. Some bacterial and virus infections can cause long-term damage to the eyes. To avoid any further risks, avoid touching your eyes with your hands if they haven’t been washed.

     2. Your contact lenses should be handled safely

Contact lenses have to be stored and handled in a clean and safe environment to keep your eyes in a healthy condition, listed below are some ideas to follow if you are wearing contacts.

•  Never reuse the solution 
• The solution has to be discarded when expired as it can cause eye infection
• The tip of the solution bottle should not be touched with hands or eyes
• Sterilize the case in which you store your contact lens
• Always make sure to wash your hands before touching the contact lenses
• If the contact lens falls on the floor, make sure to clean it thoroughly or discard it if found damaged
• Never expose your contact lens to air-borne illnesses and always keep them in a clean place

     3. Refrain from dangerous cosmetic procedures

We only have a pair of eyes hence adopting dangerous cosmetic procedures like tattooing your eyeballs or inserting a foreign substance like inks can cause eye inflammation. If the person performing the procedure is not professional or careful enough you can even lose your eyesight permanently.

Piercing is another procedure where metal rings and rods are pierced into the eyelids, sometimes people pierce to shut the eye completely or to escape any kind of trauma. Even using cosmetic or decorative contacts which are not approved or prescribed by your optometrist can cause problems with your eyes.

     4. Use of proper eyewear

When working around dangerous things like power tools or sharp objects, it is essential that you use proper protection as it is easy for things to lodge into your eyes, if not careful. If your occupation demands, safety glasses must not be avoided as your eyes can be exposed to harmful lights, radiation, chemicals, infectious diseases, dust, debris, and flying and falling objects.

The occupation that demands the use of protective eyewear is construction, welding & wood works, manufacturing works, mining, healthcare jobs, office work etc.  Even using proper sunglasses on a daily basis is essential to block dangerous UVA or UVB from causing harm to eyes or strain, injuries, hazards, diseases, and other difficulties. 

     5. Eating eye-healthy foods

A healthy diet goes a long way to keep your eye healthy, a complete nutritious diet consisting of a whole variety of fruits and vegetables isn   essential to keep the health of your eyes and improve your vision. On that note, some foods that can help boost vision are oily fish like salmon and tuna rich in omega 3 fatty acids, green leafy vegetables like kale, and spinach, eggs rich in proteins, whole grains like barley and quinoa, bell peppers, and vitamin-C rich citrus fruits, seeds and nuts, etc.

    6. Eye Exercise

Regular eye exercises can help reduce strain, and stress, regulates blood sugar levels and increase blood flow helping maintain the health of the eyes. Any kind of exercise that keeps your body in motion and your heart rate up lets you have a healthy eye.

     7. Give your eyes some rest 

Constantly staring at your digital devices for a long time can be harmful to your eyes because of the blue light emitted from the devices. It is essential to maintain a distance with your devices as the blue light can cause strain and make your vision stressful. Wearing blue light protection glasses, looking away from the screen, staring at far away objects, and going for walks can help give your eyes some rest.

     8. Stop Smoking

Smoking increases your risk of vision loss as you age; though the effect is not visible immediately it can have a huge impact on your eyes as you age.

     9. Make regular doctor visits

Visit an optometrist on a regular basis to identify any eye problems. With a change in lifestyle, the health of our eyes can become deteriorated. Hence doing a routine check on your eyes can help identify eye diseases and take the necessary precaution. 

     Visit Kerala’s most trusted eye clinic, Dr Rani Menon’s Eye Clinic for professional eye check-ups and to receive proper guidance for any eye-related problems. Making occasional visits to the Optometrist can reduce the risk of eye diseases and contribute to a healthy eye.

     It is common knowledge that vision can be corrected using contacts or glasses, but if you don’t want to wear them, then there is always an option to say goodbye to your glasses and contacts through Lasik surgery. Lasik surgery or Laser assisted in situ keratomileusis is a laser treatment that corrects defective vision without the need to wear glasses or lenses.

     Everyone wants to do Lasik surgery in Kerala but the apprehensions associated with Lasik surgery never die down. Lasik surgery cost may act as the biggest contributor towards making this life-changing decision. Regardless of which, in this blog we let you know the common questions often asked before opting to choose Lasik eye surgery.

What are the Do’s and Dont’s to be looked into during the first week after Lasik surgery?

     During the first week of Lasik surgery, care must be taken to ensure maximum results from the surgery. Listed below are some Do’s and Dont’s to follow post-surgery to avoid any further harm to your eyes.

Is Lasik surgery painful?

     No, Lasik surgery is not painful and is completely safe; the whole surgery is performed by numbing both eyes using anesthetic eye drops. You might feel slight a bit of pressure after the Lasik procedure but it is never painful. Your eyes might experience slight itching or burning sensation after the procedure but it is completely safe.

To which age group is a Lasik surgery effective?

     Lasik surgery is effective for those between the age group of 18 and 40. 

Are there any risks or side effects associated with Lasik surgery?

     Lasik surgery contains very few side effects which are not potentially harmful to the patient during the initial days after the surgery. Some of the side effects associated with Lasik surgery are dry eyes, inflammation, infection, impaired night vision, glare, double vision, seeing halos, etc. These are not permanent side effects and will eventually heal over time. 

When can I see the results from the Lasik surgery?

     Lasik surgery results in improved vision without the use of glasses or contact lens. After the surgery, you have a good chance of getting 20/20 vision. Results depend upon the severity of the vision. If it is of lesser intensity, then the results will be fast and if it has the most intensity, then the result will be slower. Lasik surgery is the permanent, practical, quick, convenient, and long-term solution to wearing glasses or lenses daily.

What all vision conditions can the Lasik surgery treat?

     Lasik surgery can correct the following refractive errors of the eye such as:

• Near-sightedness or Myopia: An eye condition that lets you see objects closer but not far away.
• Farsightedness or Hyperopia: An eye condition that lets you see distant objects clearly but nearby objects blurry at a younger age.
• Astigmatism: An eye condition that causes blurred vision for distant and nearby objects.

     Now that you have a clear picture of what a Lasik surgery entails, you are at will to choose the best Lasik surgeon or eye doctor. But, if you ask us for suggestions, we can proudly tell you that the best Lasik surgeon in Thrissur is Dr Rani Menon’s Eye Clinic offering the most advanced and modern treatment for Lasik Surgery in Kerala. Choose Lasik surgery to read better, look better and live a better life.

The advancement of new and modern technologies has made eye treatments a lot less complicated and surgeries have become more convenient and easier. Using a laser on the eyes for correction is called laser photocoagulation or laser photoablation. Laser treatment for the eyes is safer, faster, quite painless and involves no or low risk. Apart from these, laser treatment requires no sutures of bleeding and hence the patient can recover much faster. Laser treatments are most commonly done to correct refractive defects so you can see clearly without the aid of glasses or lenses. Laser treatments are also used to treat the following:

• Diabetic eye diseases
• Proliferative diabetic retinopathy 
• Diabetic macular edema
• Macular degeneration 
• Glaucoma
• Short-sightedness (Myopia)
• Corrective Refractive Errors
• Photorefractive keratectomy (PRK)
• LASIK (Laser-Assisted in Situ Keratomileusis)
• LASEK (Laser Epithelial Keratomileusis)
• Reshape the cornea of the eye
• Astigmatism 
• Retinal Tears

Laser eye surgery procedure uses a laser beam to reshape the eye surface and improve conditions like short-sightedness, long-sightedness, astigmatism etc. Even presbyopia can be overcome to an extent with laser treatment. More people are now considering laser eye surgery options because of the safety and better success rates that laser offers. Having a thorough understanding of laser eye surgery options and its advantages can help make your decision easier. The main advantage of laser eye surgery to correct refractive issues is that you need not go back to the inconvenience of wearing glasses or lenses. You can engage yourself in leisure activities and sports you always wanted to do but couldn’t because you were wearing glasses or lenses.

Laser treatment called trabeculoplasty is used to treat some types of glaucoma, wherein laser is used to drain out the fluid from the eyes and lower the pressure inside the eyes. Scatter is another type of laser surgery used to treat diabetic retinopathy where the doctor uses laser to shrink the blood vessels causing vision problems in your eyes. Diabetic macular edema can also be treated with laser therapy and have proved to show only fewer side effects. Age-related macular degeneration also relies on laser surgery as a treatment, laser surgery reduces swelling to a large extent. However, laser surgery doesn’t restore the vision you have already lost but it can slow down the damage created to your central vision.

Laser surgery is performed by a surgeon specialized in it. The surgery will only be performed after ample eye check-ups and reviews by an experienced ophthalmologist. Laser eye surgery is quick and painless and is done usually under local anesthesia wherein people are awake throughout the procedure. The use of anesthetic eye drops before the surgery numbs the eyes and helps conduct the procedure without any pain. The patients need not stay back at the hospital and can go home in an hour or two once the surgery is over without any other health complications. Laser eye treatments are one of the safest technologies offering a 100% success rate that will last for a long time. You can even restore your 20/20 vision with minimum complications within a couple of hours after the operation procedure. Though considered exorbitant, the cost of laser treatment in Kerala is now affordable. Considering the pros and cons, laser treatment will be your long-term solution for defective vision.

Even though Laser eye surgeries do not involve long-healing time, it is important for the patients to take consider the following post-surgery:

• Do not expose your eyes out into the sun 
• Do not touch or rub your eyes or the nearby surface
• Continue to use prescribed medications like eye drops
• On-time follow-ups and post-surgery check-ups