Top Health Tips on Managing Eye Twitching

Ebooks maybe are a lot easier to carry, and with the emerging trend of Kindles, it may appear to be more convenient than paperbacks, but the smell of new books, the texture of its pristine pages, is unparalleled to the inanimateness of ebooks. But that is not just why you must choose paperbacks over ebooks.

Read on to find out why paperbacks work well over ebooks for better eye health.

Does not involve light-emission: The backlit electronic devices, strain your eyes, causing redness, irritation and watering. Most doctors advise that exposure to light during the evening, especially from artificial sources should be minimal. On the other hand, books do not emit any harmful rays, making it the obvious choice if you want to take good care of your eyes.
Do not hamper body clock: Our system has a tendency to adapt itself to the rhythm of life by responding to the surrounding light. However, the blue light in reading devices disrupt the release of melatonin or the sleep hormone, causing inadequate, less deep sleep, and fatigue and irritation the following morning. Thus, not giving enough time to your eyes and body for revitalizing. On the other hand, studies have shown that people reading books sleep better and timelier than those reading on devices.
Proximity to device not required: The admonition of not sitting too close to the television's screen glare is nullified by reading devices where a certain level of proximity is required for comfortable reading, which harms our eyes. But paperbacks do not have any such risk involved as there is no glare that would affect our eyes.
Does not induce disrupted winking: Electronic devices often trigger a tendency to not blink and stare at the screen constantly for longer than advisable. That does not give the lenses in your eyes the momentary rest that the eyes require in order to replenish themselves.
Exercises to improve eye health

There are many common measures people take to improve their eyesight or improve their vision. These include wearing glasses, lenses, sunglasses and many such measures. Here are some effective exercises which prove to be highly beneficial in increasing your eye health:
Stretching: This is the most common and also one of the easiest to do. It requires you to just look up, hold for two seconds, look down, hold for two seconds, then repeat this procedure for each corner of your eye, which means top-left, top-right, bottom-left and bottom-right corners.
Flexing: This is simply rotating your eyes in circles. Roll your eyes in the clockwise direction for one minute and then roll your eyes in the anticlockwise direction for one minute.
Focus switching: This particular eye exercise is used for accommodation and is probably the most useful one. In this eye exercise, you have to hold something at a reading distance and cover the other eye. You then have to find something that is at least twenty feet away and trace its shape with one eye closed. With one eye closed, trace more shapes which are twenty feet away and this may improve your eyesight.
Palming: This exercise is also very simple to perform. All you have to do is cover your eyes with your palms. Once you have done this, just wait and see that there are no bright flashes of light. If you see that there is a bright flash of light, just wait till they go. This is used primarily to destress the eyes.
Deep blinking: This is also an incredibly useful exercise for distance vision. All you have to do is to place some large letters at a fair distance and then sit on a chair. You have to then close your eyes and tighten all your muscles for 5 seconds. After the gap of 5 seconds, open your eyes and see the letters for a second or two. The more time you do this the more clearly you will be able to see the letters after reopening your eyes.
Finally, a warning has to be given that these eye treatments are not universally accepted by all doctors. In case you have a concern or query you can always consult an expert & get answers to your questions!

A red eye is one of the first and most common symptoms of conjunctivitis. Conjunctivitis is the inflammation of the tissue that lies over the white part of the eye and lines the inner side of the eyelid. It is usually the result of a viral infection and can easily spread from one person to another. Conjunctivitis can also be a symptom of STDs like gonorrhea or Chlamydia. In newborns, conjunctivitis can be vision threatening while in grownups it is not considered a serious health risk.

The symptoms of conjunctivitis differ according to the cause of the infection. Some common symptoms of conjunctivitis are:
* Green or white discharge from the eye
* Redness of the white part of the eye
* Inflammation of the eye lid
* Waking up to crusted yellow discharge
* Itchiness and burning in the eyes
* Increased sensitivity to light
* Blurred vision


An eye examination and testing a sample of the fluid secreted by the eye can be used to diagnose conjunctivitis. It can easily be treated at home and does not require hospitalization. Antibiotics are often given in the form of eye drops and ointments to treat conjunctivitis. These usually need to be applied 3-4 times a day for a period of 5-6 days. Wash your eyes before putting the eye drops. Once applied, close your eyes and roll the eyeball around to distribute the medicine and keep it from overflowing out of the eye. Wash your hands immediately after applying the eye drops.

Viral conjunctivitis is highly contagious. If you are suffering from it, you should take a few days off work and restrict your social interactions. Wash your hands frequently as you may unconsciously rub your eyes. This is especially important with regards to meals and finger foods. Also, avoid sharing towels, pillow cases etc to minimize the transmission of the disease from one person to another.
Avoid using makeup while being treated for conjunctivitis. With conjunctivitis, the eye is more sensitive to irritants and thus a speck of makeup can worsen the situation. Also avoid contacts. If you wear contacts regularly, dispose the current set and start using a fresh set after your doctor gives you a clean chit.

Artificial tears or non prescription eye drops can also be used to relieve the itchiness and burning in the infected eye. If only one eye had been affected by conjunctivitis, do not use the same eye drop bottle for both eyes.

If you have got diabetes, then it is quite natural that you will soon face acute eye troubles. This is the reason diabetic patients are always suggested to keep their blood sugar levels controlled so that eye troubles can be easily avoided.

Thorough medical check-up is required in order to detect conditions of the eyes. Some of the commonest eye troubles occurring due to diabetes are cataract, glaucoma, blurry vision, diabetic retinopathy and others.

List of eye diseases caused by diabetes

Diabetic retinopathy: when retina' s smallest blood-vessels get severely damaged due to increased blood-sugar, then this kind of eye condition occurs. Early detection of this eye condition can save your eyes, but if it is too late, then nothing can be done, and it might even lead to blindness.
Cataract: Fogging or clouding condition can bring this kind of condition, and this can only be corrected by wearing proper corrective lenses. However, if you fail to control diabetes, then in spite of wearing glasses, your eye condition might get deteriorated day by day. Glared or blurred vision is the commonest symptom in this regard.
Glaucoma: When the eye-fluid is not drained properly, then this kind of eye trouble occurs. In fact, eye pressure increases to a great extent as a result of which delicate eye nerves can get severely damaged. The blood vessels of the eyes can get clogged causing greater interruption in vision. Medicines can make aqueous humor to get drained in a proper manner, and thus you should go for a proper eye check-up so that you can acquire the requisite medicines. Some popular symptoms of glaucoma are headaches, eye aches, blurred vision, watery eyes, vision loss and others.
Diabetic macular-edema: This eye disease mainly occurs in the advanced stage of diabetic-retinopathy. Macula is nothing but the most delicate part of retina and when it gets swollen, then you might face this eye trouble. Only medications can help you to get rid of the same and thus immediate medical help is needed.
Blurry vision: Though this is quite a small and temporary eye issue for diabetic patients, but this condition might turn into a serious one if you neglect to correct the same in the very beginning. You might even face blindness due to negligence of this trouble. Also, fluctuating sugar-levels should be stabilized so that this kind of trouble can be easily tackled.

Are you suffering from eye pain? Well, rubbing your eyes is not a wise thing to do under such circumstances. Rubbing will only turn the white of your eye into a scarlet-colored surface. The eyes can get irritated due to the influence of foreign materials like dust particles, flies or remains of beauty products. The eyes also develop pain due to physical injury. Here are some tips to get rid of the eye pain or irritation:

Use Ice pack: In case of an injury, apply ice pack on the eyes. Cold compression on the eyes for 15 minutes reduces any sort of pain or swelling.

Cry to smile: Tears are known to have positive effects on the eyes. They prevent the drying up of cornea. It is advisable to bathe the eye with artificial tears.

Compress your eyes: It is advisable to soak a washcloth in warm water and compress your eyes with that to get relief from pain in sty. Sty is an infection of the eyelid, which reddens the lids and causes pain. Warm compression helps in liquefaction of the oils in the eyes.

Wash your eye: Irritation or pain is also caused by dust particles in the eyes. Therefore, it is best to wash your eyes with saline solution. Don't use normal tap water or distilled water for washing your eyes.

Get rid of the invader: Try to remove or dislodge any fleck or speck 'the cause of pain' by using a cotton swab.

Try the cold treatment: It has been found that dry eyes can be treated best by cold application. Apply a pack of ice on dry eyes for 5 to 6 minutes in every two hours. This helps in reducing the pain and forms tears to keep the eyes moist.

Flip your eyelids: Try to remove the painful particle inside the eyes by pulling the eyelids. Pull the upper lid gently over the lower one so that the foreign particle comes out.

A red eye is one of the first and most common symptoms of conjunctivitis. Conjunctivitis is the inflammation of the tissue that lies over the white part of the eye and lines the inner side of the eyelid. It is usually the result of a viral infection and can easily spread from one person to another. Conjunctivitis can also be a symptom of STDs like Gonorrhea or Chlamydia. In newborns, conjunctivitis can be vision threatening, while in grownups it is not considered a serious health risk. The symptoms of conjunctivitis differ according to the cause of the infection.

Some common symptoms of conjunctivitis are:

Green or white discharge from the eye
Redness of the white part of the eye
Inflammation of the eyelid
Waking up to crusted yellow discharge
Itchiness and burning in the eyes
Increased sensitivity to light
Blurred vision
An eye examination and testing a sample of the fluid secreted by the eye can be used to diagnose conjunctivitis. It can easily be treated at home and does not require hospitalization. Antibiotics are often given in the form of eye drops and ointments to treat conjunctivitis. These usually need to be applied 3 to 4 times a day for a period of 5 to 6 days. Wash your eyes before putting the eye drops. Once applied, close your eyes and roll the eyeball around to distribute the medicine and keep it from overflowing out of the eye. Wash your hands immediately after applying the eye drops.

Viral conjunctivitis is highly contagious. If you are suffering from it, you should take a few days off work and restrict your social interactions. Wash your hands frequently as you may unconsciously rub your eyes. This is especially important with regards to meals and finger foods. Also, avoid sharing towels, pillowcases, etc. to minimize the transmission of the disease from one person to another.

Avoid using makeup while being treated for conjunctivitis. With conjunctivitis, the eye is more sensitive to irritants and thus, a speck of makeup can worsen the situation. Also avoid contacts. If you wear contacts regularly, dispose the current set and start using a fresh set after your doctor gives you a clean chit.
Artificial tears or non prescription eye drops can also be used to relieve the itchiness and burning in the infected eye. If only one eye had been affected by conjunctivitis, do not use the same eye drop bottle for both eyes.

Sinusitis or sinus infections can be quite a debilitating ailment when it becomes recurrent. Sinuses are cavities within our head just behind the nose which extends up to our forehead and to certain areas of the cheeks. These cavities are filled with a mucosal lining which helps you breathe and also filters the air which goes to the lungs. When the mucosal lining gets inflamed, it blocks the normal drainage of the mucus into the nose. This results in headaches, nasal polyps and general discomfort. Homeopathy offers some great remedies for this condition, without side effects. Some of these are discussed below.

Homeopathic remedies for sinus problems

Belladonna: This medication is very effective when the sinusitis has resulted in a suppressed discharge from the nose which occurs intermittently. If you have a splitting headache which feels unbearable, Belladonna can help relieve the symptoms quickly. If the infection of the sinus has spread to the throat and results in cough, Belladonna can be equally effective in those circumstances as well.
Pulsatilla: If you are experiencing a greenish mucosal discharge from your nose without a painful burning sensation within it, Pulsatilla can be a very effective cure. Another indication where this medication is very effective is when you have headaches centered just above your eyes rather than over the forehead or other parts of your face.
Kali Bichrome: This is another commonly prescribed medication to deal with the symptoms of sinusitis as well as to reduce inflammation and cure sinusitis altogether. If you have a lot of mucosal discharge that drops into your throat along with discharges through the nose, Kali Bichrome is the drug to go to. Other indications where it is effective are pain and heaviness in the nose and the inability to breathe with headaches in and around the eyes.
Silicea: If you are feeling cold and constantly chilly along with nasal stuffiness, Silicea is the medication to go to. Along with discharges, your nose may form hard mucous crusts within it. Trying to manually remove these crusts may also cause bleeding. Silicea will reduce these symptoms and is also effective in reducing a headache which occurs mostly on the left side of your face.
Merc Sol: If you are experiencing a yellowish green discharge from the nose along with a burning sensation and increased saliva secretion in your mouth, Merc Sol is the remedy to turn to. It is also effective wherein the headache has spread all around the head.

While most of us complain of eye problems as pain or redness or itching or excessive tearing, there is more to it than what meets the eye! As with all diseases, the homeopath will try to unravel the problem in its deeper form. A detailed discussion to ask related symptoms happens, after which a diagnosis will be made. Treatment is then done accordingly which will not just get rid of the eye symptoms but also improve the overall health of the person.

Conditions like cataract and glaucoma need to be surgically corrected; however, others can be managed via homeopathic medicines effectively. The following are the top five homeopathic medicines described along with the symptoms in which they are used. A detailed discussion with your homeopath to arrive at the diagnosis should definitely precede use of these medications. Self-medication is not advised.

Mercurius - Mercurial preparations are used when the following symptoms are seen:

Thickened, red eyelids that are worse at night
Profuse, offensive-smelling discharge that causes burning
Boils around the eyes with pus formation
Floaters in the eyes
Worsens with warmth and damp weather
Syphilitic eye infections
Belladonna: One of the most widely used eye remedies in homeopathy; it is extremely useful in the following situations

Ophthalmic conditions with severe inflammation, dryness,
Injected eyes with iritis or retinitis
Fear of light (photophobia)
Eyes affected due to excessive light or poor light
Retinal hemorrhage conditions
Sudden, acute onset of these symptoms
Great intolerance to light
Euphrasia and Allium cepa: This is used as a combo, with both used in similar situation but with contradicting symptoms. The person has symptoms similar to hay fever or cold.
While euphrasia is used where there is a bland nasal discharge and burning tears, allium is used when there is a strong burning sensation with nasal discharge. Some doctors even try one, and if it is not effective, they prescribe the other one. Other conditions where Euphrasia and Allium cepa are used include:

Watery eyes that blink frequently
Acute catarrhal conjunctivitis
Bland and watery coryza
Burning of the eyes with corrosion of the margins
Opaque, blistering cornea with thick discharge
Eye swelling improves when in open air, worsens in the evening and with light
Arsenica - This common homeopathy medicine is used in the following situations:

Sharp eye pain caused by day light
Closing eyes produces pain in the eyes
Running of letters when trying to read
Affected tear ducts
Cataracts in office goes
Worsened during new moon and cold weather, improved with warmth.
These are some common homeopathy medicines, but again, as noted above, self-medication should be avoided. Any of these should be used only if prescribed by a homeopath.

The quest to look and feel young is never ending. Almost everybody feels they could look a couple of years younger with a few wrinkles less and firmer skin. While this was within access of only celebrities who could afford the various plastic surgical procedures a few decades ago, times have changed now. Scientists and doctors are doing researches to find more affordable and non-surgical ways of getting to look younger.

Botox was one of the wonderful results of this search. Clostridium botulinum causes food poisoning and produces a toxin known as botulinum. In extremely minor amounts, this toxin can paralyze muscles and this property of it is used to treat facial wrinkles and fine lines.
How Botox works
The muscles react when they receive a message from the nerve through chemicals known as neurotransmitters. Acetylcholine is one such chemical, which is present in the face and sends messages to the facial skin from the nerves. What Botox does is prevent the release of acetylcholine and so the muscle does not receive any message, and so does not contract. This reduces the amount of wrinkles and fine lines.

Medical Indications
Botox is one of the most powerful toxins identified to date. About 2 kg of the toxin is sufficient to wipe out the entire human race from Earth. That being its potency, the dosage and administration should be done only under experienced medical supervision.

For cosmetic purposes, they are most frequently used to reduce wrinkles on face and fine lines under the eyes and on the forehead. The wrinkles appear softened after the use of Botox, producing a younger, firmer skin. Aside from its cosmetic use, there are various other conditions for which Botox is medically approved for a number of medical ailments like

1. Chronic migraines
2. Blepharospasm (spasm of the eyelids)
3. Chronic neck spasms
4. Excessive sweating
5. Overactive bladder (resulting in frequent urination)
6. Spasticity resulting from stroke
7. Crow's feet (outer corner of the eyes)
8. Urinary incontinence
9. Lazy eye (strabismus)
10. Bruxism (tooth grinding)
11. Esophageal motility disorders

The list is only set to get longer as more indications for Botox are identified. However, as mentioned, being an extremely toxic substance, it should be used only under complete medical supervision.

Side effects: Needless to say, there are side effects to this too, but when administered properly, it is an extremely safe procedure.

1. Allergic reaction: Very few people might have an allergic reaction to the toxin
2. Mild pain or redness at the injection site
3. Temporary numbness
However, these are very transient and will subside in a couple of days, by which time the effect of Botox will be visible. Have a thorough discussion with your doctor before going for it.

Diabetes can wreak havoc on the eye and the foot. Proper care is necessary in order to refrain from any serious consequences. It can damage the blood vessels and the nerves of the feet resulting in numbness and permanent disability. Some of the alarming foot symptoms include bruises, cuts, cracked skin and hard spots. Some of the common measures that need to be taken for foot include checking the temperature sensation of the foot by immersing it in hot water, drying the feet gently in between the toes and using agents such as lotion, lanolin, and petroleum jelly.

Some of the other preventive measure includes cutting the nails when they are young and straight to ensure no injury to the foot takes place. It should be ensured the toe is not touched by the nail of the toe. A pumice stone can be used to get rid of the corns immediately after a bath. No medicated pads or sharp razors should be utilised to cut corns. The feet should be soaked in warm water before trimming nails.

A shoe should be put on at all times to save the feet. The shoe sole should be thoroughly checked for foreign objects such as stones and nails to ensure that the foot is not hurt. Tight shoes should be strictly avoided in order to refrain from soreness and blisters. Dry and clean socks should be put up to ensure the foot is clean. For people living in cold area, wearing thick socks should be practised. This will help the foot protect from cold. Finally, a doctor should be called in case there are any visible signs of swelling, redness, cracks, pain or sensation of burning.

Too much blood sugar can cause harm to the eye in four ways: It can cause damage to the retina, lens, optic nerve and vitreous gel. There could be serious repercussions of diabetes to the eye including low vision and complete loss of vision. Diabetes blocks the retina and is capable of cutting off the total supply of oxygen.

Some of the common symptoms of retina related problems include double vision, a pressure in one eye, problems in corner vision, flashing lights, pain in the eye, blank spots etc. A simple check up by an oculist can reveal any eye problems related to diabetes.

An ophthalmologist can treat the diabetes-related eye problem by medicine that blocks the protein responsible for fluid leakage and blood vessel growth. He can also go for laser treatment to treat macular edema. Even scatter laser treatments are also used for this purpose. If all else fails a doctor chooses to perform a procedure known as vitrectomy.

Good eyesight can be an outcome of a diet rich in Omega 3 fatty acids and vitamin C. Including certain foods in your diet can be directly beneficial for your eye health and can improve your vision. Here is a list of 5 foods which will help you combat age-related vision problems and will supplement your overall eye health.

1. Eggs - Eggs are rich in vitamin A and lutein, which help you combat age-related vision problems and night blindness. Eggs are also beneficial for dry eyes and improving your eye health. Egg yolks are considered to be one of the best foods for your eyes and should be included in your regular diet. It also helps prevent age-related macular degeneration (AMD), which is one of the primary causes of blindness in the 60+ age group.

2. Leafy Greens - Leafy green vegetables like spinach and kale are rich in lutein and zeaxanthin which reduce the chance of cataracts. It is best to consume them raw as they have more antioxidants when uncooked. Other green vegetables like broccoli, collard greens, and zucchini are rich in lutein and play an important part in preventing age-related vision problems.

3. Carrots - Carrots improve your overall eye health as it contains vitamin A, the lack of which is one of the leading causes of loss of vision. The orange hue in carrots is due to Beta-carotene which helps the retina function better. Other foods rich in beta carotene are apricots, mangoes, pumpkin and cantaloupe which also contribute to healthy eyes. So make sure you include them in your diet.

4. Almonds - Almonds are rich in vitamin E, which prevents macular degeneration. Include a handful in your daily diet as it not only improves your eyesight but also effectively lowers cholesterol and prevents heart diseases. Nuts like pistachios and walnuts contain omega 3 fatty acids which contribute to the maintenance of your vision.

5. Citrus Fruits and Berries - Citrus fruits like oranges, grapefruits and lemons are rich vitamin C which reduces the risk macular degeneration and cataracts. Blueberries also aid in the protection of the retina from damage caused due to sunlight and oxygen.