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HEALTH
Dry-Eye
Syndrome
We've
not become heartless-but modern mores are costing us our tears
 It's
a sign of our times-we can't cry anymore. Well, not literally anyway.
Eye specialists across the country say there is a manifold rise in what
is being now called the new dry-eye syndrome or alternatively the computer
vision syndrome. The affliction is restricted to cities, and one of the
main culprits, as you can probably guess, is your computer. Recently,
a study by the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
of the US reported that more than 90 per cent of people who work on the
computer for more than three hours a day suffer from some sort of eye
ailment. To ratify this, a research project was piloted in Bangalore to
study the phenomenon of corporate computer vision syndrome. The study
revealed that nearly 68 per cent of the people who regularly use computers
suffer from the affliction.
|
Spice
Route
|
| Can't
take sugar, resort to spice. Research now shows that people with Type
2 diabetes could improve their ability to regulate blood sugar levels
by adding some cinnamon to their diet. Studies show that a regular
intake of cinnamon actually helps fat cells in the body recognise
and respond to insulin-the hormone that removes excess sugar from
the blood. Even adding one teaspoon of cinnamon to your food can make
all the difference, say doctors. |
Doctors say
that this eye ailment, which is gaining epidemic proportions in India,
is mainly caused by staring at computer screens for long periods of time
without blinking, though urban pollution also plays a part. This coupled
with an air-conditioned environment is a sure bet for dry eyes. The affliction
is mainly caused when the tear film in front of the eye becomes dry. This
film of liquid otherwise plays a vital role in keeping the eye moist and
nourishing it with nutrients and oxygen besides removing carbon dioxide.
It also acts as a smooth optical interface to incoming rays of light and
contains anti-bacterial and anti-viral substances that aid in the eye's
defence mechanism. The lack of a tear film for prolonged periods of time
leads to blurred vision, burning, itching and grittiness in the eyes.
In severe cases, the cornea can turn opaque or suffer injury-leading to
loss of sight.
The main
solution to this affliction is "artificial tears"-eye lubricants.
Dr Prashant Singh, an eye surgeon at Bangalore's Baptist Hospital, says
lubricants are of many types though eyedrops are commonly used. Frequency
of lubrication depends on the severity of the dry-eye syndrome. These
lubricants supplement the natural moisture of the eye, which aid blinking
and offer immediate soothing relief. Hey presto, your eyes are moist and
everything's fine again.
-Stephen
David
IN
SMALL DOSES
Pill
Pluses: Contrary to belief, new research today shows that regular
use of the pill-oral contraception for women-offers a variety of other
health benefits besides just preventing unwanted pregnancy. By reducing
menstrual bleeding, it prevents iron-deficiency anaemia which is a common
disorder in most women in India. It halves the risk of cancers of the
uterine lining and the ovary. And it is also known to reduce the risk
of colorectal cancer. That's the good news. The bad news is that in India,
studies show that only 1 per cent of married women are on the pill as
compared to almost 50 per cent in western Europe and 17 per cent in the
US.
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