Its SUMMER - Allergy is back !

ALLERGIC EYE DISEASE

It is summer and the temperatures are soaring. The heat some how triggers a lot of allergy. It is unusual but I think I am seeing more number of patients with allergy this year.

Interestingly many patients are presenting to me with a doubt that they have developed infective viral conjunctivitis. But how do I make out it is allergy and not infective, contagious viral eye disease.

In allergy there is no lid swelling or it is mild, watering is not much and the redness is not very diffuse. In infection the lid is swollen, with severe watering and redness.

The most important feature of allergy is ITCHING.

So how do we take care of this problem.
1, COLD compresses - keep a wet handkerchief on the eyes.
2, Of course keep washing the face and hands and feet periodically.
3, There are medicine drops which will surely give relief
4 Avoid the afternoon heat, the hot wind and the dust when possible
5, Use goggles and a cap when out in the sun

Of course let us wait for the rains to come ....
It will surely cure the allergy....

HOLI - TIPS FOR A SAFE HOLI - CARING FOR YOUR EYES

WISH YOU A VERY HAPPY HOLI

We look forward to this festival of colours. ...

let us ensure we take care of our eyes this Holi,,,

1, Avoid industrial colors or synthetic dyes...these can harm the eyes permanently

2, Use natural colours only...

3, Do not rub your eyes when irritation occurs or colors enter the eyes

4, Do not throw water balloons and water guns - these can cause permanent damage and bleeding

5, Wash the eye thoroughly if something enters the eye.

6, Do not buy over the counter medications for the eyes like rose water etc... these can be harmful

WIsh you all  a safe and happy Holi 

DON'T IGNORE SQUINT

Why should one take note of squint and get an urgent check up. Let us talk of common and the more serious issues which can be underlying squint.

1, Lazy eye - most of the times lazy eye is present and the vision is less in the eye. Please note that lazy eye is not easy to cure and there are many cases where recovery does not occur...it is indeed tough to cure lazy eye.

2, Neurological problem - many a times there is an underlying neurological disorder which presents for the first time as a squint.

3, Cancer- I have had at least 4 patients where squint was the presenting feature of eye cancer. It is indeed important to examine every case of squint carefully.

4, Systemic diseases - many a times I have children who present with squint but actually there is an underlying metabolic disease.

Let us ensure all cases of squint are seen by a squint specialist or pediatric ophthalmologist...