Keep an eye on visual health

What you put in your mouth determines how good your eyes are. As simple as it may sound, the fact is that your diet has a great role in shaping the way your visual health is being stressed by ophthalmologists on World Sight Day. Certain foods are definitely good for the eye, says Venkatraman Arvind, Chief Medical Officer, Vasan Eye Care. “The eye is also an organ that receives blood supply. Eating healthy will ensure a good blood supply in the body. Omega 3 unsaturated fatty acids are also specifically good, as are vitamin A, and retinoids such as papaya, mango, green leafy vegetables, carrots and tomatoes.”

Amar Agarwal of Agarwal Eye Hospitals, says, “I am very particular that patients, especially children, eat green vegetables, cucumbers and carrots on a regular basis. As we are tending towards the fast food culture, we do not have the time to sit and plan our food. However, parents must ensure that the child gets a healthy diet.” The earlier you begin to eat healthy, the better will be the eye care.

Dr. Agarwal says he sees patients who have woken up one morning to find themselves blind in one eye. “This is because we, as a nation, tend not to take exercise seriously. At about 40 or 50 years, people are obese, overweight and their general body health is affected. This leads to high blood pressure, a vessel in the eye bursts, and they turn blind.” “What we do not factor in is that up to 80 per cent of the cases of blindness are avoidable. There are a lot of interventions to restore sight today, but it is still important to prevent blindness,” Dr. Arvind says. While exercising and eating well are two key aspects, regular check-ups are also part of the deal, he adds. Especially for children who need vision correction, and diabetics. Screening will ensure that the problems will be picked up early and remedied.

While not all problems relating to vision health can be avoided, Dr. Agarwal says with certainty that cataract can certainly be delayed, diabetic retinopathy can also be postponed or avoided if the diabetic keeps the sugar under good control, and sudden bleeding in the eye can be prevented.

Keywords: visual health

Eye Care for All

WORLD SIGHT DAY is celebrated worldwide on the 2nd Thursday of October since the year 2000. The theme for this year world Sight Day is ‘Eye Care for All’. On this day general awareness on Eye Care and importance of sight is sought to be disseminated to the general public. The District Health Society (National Programme for Control of Blindness) Kohima District would like to enlighten the public about one very rampant eye condition afflicting mainly young girls of our state.
In the last 2 years or so a new form of chronic conjunctivitis has been sweeping across the Eye care centre’s in our state. It is characterized by copious sticky discharge throughout the day and night and tends to cause matting or gluing of the eyelashes in the morning. There will be complaints of blurred vision due to this sticky discharge as well as the swelling on the inside of the eyelids. Most will also have significant itching. On examining the eye, there is intense conjunctival Hypertrophy (ie swelling and proliferation of the membrane covering the white part of the eyeball) and redness most predominantly on the lower fornix (ie the part of the eye which becomes exposed when the lower eyelid is pulled down with the patient looking up). The conjunctival surface looks like that of a ripe strawberry and sometimes it may be difficult to make the exposed abnormally swollen tissue go back into the eye. It is interesting to note that 99% of the patients are girls between the ages of 15 to 20 years with signs of use of eyeliners. Many usually say that they have been suffering from watering, discharge, itching, blurred vision for many months’ even years which distinguishes it from the common epidemic conjunctivitis which affects people of all ages and both sexes and becomes cured by a week or so.
This new eye disease predominantly affecting young girls is not confined to towns but has spread to the smaller townships and even villages. It is very strongly associated with the use of eyeliners although a clinical scientific study would be required to prove it. It occurs in girls who insist that they use only branded eyeliners which underline the ever present dangers of fake branded good in the market. The less said about non branded products the better. The disease becomes less common in the 20+ (plus) group and is rare beyond 25+(plus), which is consistent with the fact the young teenagers have a very reactive immune response system which exhibit an exaggerated response to any allergen.
This condition requires prolonged treatment sometimes more than 2 months for complete cure. The good news is it responds very well to treatment particularly when the offending allergen (ie the eyeliners) is withdrawn. Therefore young girls need to be made aware about the dangers of the use of the eyeliners which can cause prolonged discomfort to the eyes and may even leave permanent visual impairment.

Dr. E. Phyantsuthung
District Nodal Officer
(NPCP) Kohima & Sr. Eye Specialist NHAK

Innovating Diabetes and Eye Care

Medfort Hospitals has planned a slew of 20 green field eyecare and diabetic hospitals across India, says M Neelam Kachhap


Stand alone diabetes and eye care centres are creating new wave in the Indian healthcare industry. While, diabetes clinics and eye clinics have been around for a long time, care for these modalities in a stand alone hospital set-up is just beginning to surface. The testimony of this growing popularity is the investor interest in such ventures. One such promising venture is Medfort Hospitals.

The brain child of the serial entrepreneur Dr GSK Velu, Chairman, Medfort Hospitals aims to make its networks of diabetes and ophthalmology day care centres known worldwide for innovations and clinical expertise. Dr Velu says, “Medfort has seized the opportunity provided by the lacuna in synergised, high quality vision care and diabetes care to emerge as the largest day care chain in the country.”

Medfort Hospitals, in a short span of time has managed to spread its wings all over India. Recently, the company announced the acquisition of the Hyderabad based Maxivision Eye Hospitals (Maxivision) in an all-cash deal creating a new brand called Maxivision Eyecare which would comprise of all the eyecare activities of Medfort Group and Maxivision Lasik Suites across India. This has provided the company the momentum nessesary to establish itself as a pan-India brand. In fact, its first international centre will be commissioning soon in Ras Al Khaimah (RAK) Hospital in UAE in a partnership model.

Earlier this year, the company announced a joint venture with RAK Hospital, UAE for setting up of a centre for excellence for eye care. This is Medfort's first international venture in association with LVPEI. The partnership with RAK Hospital and LVPEI will enable the company to create a world class centre of excellence in RAK, with multiple spokes in the region. The centre will aim to provide the most cost-effective, high-quality, and comprehensive eye care facilities to the entire population of the UAE by creating presence in all the Emirates of the UAE within one year.

"This collaboration comes in line with our vision to provide high quality cost-effective eye care diagnosis and treatment, covering all areas of eye care, viz. cataract surgery, refractive surgery including Lasik corrections, glaucoma, vitreo retinal surgeries, and other advanced treatment techniques necessary for eye care,” says Dr Valu.

With this the company enhanced its portfolio with 12 network hospiatls, having presence in six locations, namely, Hyderabad, Chennai, Delhi NCR, Vizag, Vijayawada and UAE.

The Genesis

Medfort Hospitals was conceived by Dr Velu, a first generation entrepreneur of over 22 years of experience in healthcare segment who changed the topography of medical technology and diagnostics industry by starting companies like Trivitron Healthcare, Metropolis, Alliance Medicorp and Hexel Consultancy Services. His idea of starting Medfort, was to have consolidated diabetes and eye care under one roof in a business model which is less capital intensive, easy to manage and gives quick return on investments.

While the concept of stand-alone centres for diabetes management and eyecare is not new with most tertiary hospitals and some speciality hospitals having a play in this segment. There has not been a nationwide brand for both these specialities under one roof. "The idea is similar to Metropolis which was conceived in late 1990’s and we felt the need for more consolidated eye care play bringing in likeminded ophthalmologists under one umbrella and also use the cross referrals and synergies to create a multicity diabetic network," explains Dr velu.

However, like all business Medfort also had its teething problems. One huge task that the entrepreneur had was to convince investors to put their money in an idea like this. “Like in any venture convincing the private equity firms for an idea like this was difficult. To convince people that this idea is sustainable and profitable was tough. But the journey has picked up pace and is running much faster than anticipated because of the unfulfilled need in the market segment," lauds Dr Velu.

Business Model

The business model of Medfort hospital is similer to the day care model but with a twist. Unlike day-care business which strives to address various speciality under one roof Medfort has choosen to look at only eyecare and diabetes. “Multispecialty tertiary care hospital chains in India are not able to provide adequate attention to the needs of both doctors and patients of eye care and diabetes. Patients require expert advice and wholesome (not just symptomatic) treatment in a day care model without the risk of secondary infection; while the doctors require an enabling environment without the pressure to generate higher benchmarked revenue targets. With this partnership, our vision to make available superior professional healthcare solution for life debilitating conditions has received a boost,” says Dr Velu.

This model is also beneficial to the doctors as it provides a fitting environment for them to practice. "The idea is to empower diabetic and endocrine physicians and ophthalmologists across India and bringing them under one corporate umbrella for standardised treatment protocols by deploying the latest state-of-the-art equipments and technologies and infrastructure to ensure quality and compassionate care which results in best clinical outcome in both diabetic care and ophthalmology verticals," he further adds.

Eying Opportunity

So, what led Medfort Hospital to freeze in on such a business model? Well, it choose a business model that was going to fill a gap in service delivery and specialties which had close synergies. “Both diabetes and eye disorders are lifestyle disorders which need lifelong attention with constant and periodic care. There are lots of cross referrals between ophthalmologists and endocrinologists and diabetologists with cross referrals being as high as 80 to 90 percent,” says Dr Velu. Thus it was inevitable to marry both these specialties and get one common centre which would address both these market.

Apart from this there are more commonalities in both these specialties. “Every diabetic patient needs an eye check up every six months and all eye care surgeries will need diabetic status checked before surgery for better treatment planning and clinical outcome. The first complication which arises for a diabetic patient is an eye illness which ultimately results in diabetic retinopathy,” adds Dr Velu.

Further management and prognosis of the two specialities is also related. Moreover patient education and caregiver education also more effective when given for both these modalities simultaneously. “Both disorders needs focus on prevention, early diagnosis and lifelong check-ups and interventions to improve quality of life ensuring diabetic wellness and eye care wellness, etc. Hence, these two verticals are closely related and can be treated and managed together in a day care setup,” Dr Velu states.

Value Preposition

Medfort hospitals is committed to provide superior healthcare service by offering compassionate patient care and clinical excellence. It strives to reach out to patients and their families through it`s state-of-the-art infrastructure and talented pool of doctors on board. “Medfort believes that every patient is important and has unique needs,” explains Dr Velu. Medfort Hospitals stands for growth and dynamism and strive to bring a revolution in healthcare through its unique approach for patients.

The hospitals are technology driven and through its network it is trying to create an edge for its services in the market. “We are far better than other service provider in the market. Today healthcare is driven by technology. It is added advantage to the patient in terms of accuracy in diagnosis and treatment. We have world’s current technology in our hand. This shows our commitment towards technology and innovation,” reminds Dr Velu.

Thus, Medfort is a value proposition in more ways than one. It provides cost effective treatments to patients, builds better business deals for insurance companies, ensures best patient outcomes, provides 15-20 per cent cheaper package rates compared to full scale corporate hospitals along with superior outcomes as patients are carefully screened and recovery at home reduces chances of infection.

Exploring Further

Although in its first year of operations the company has manly grown by way of acquisition, it does plan to go the green field way also. “ The company started off by acquisitions in Delhi NCR and Hyderabad and a green field centre in Chennai but in days to come the growth form will be a combination of both organic and inorganic expansions,” confirms Dr Velu.

As for their future plans the company wants to be known as the best in class eye care network and diabetic care network in the emerging markets of South/ South East Asia, Middle East and Africa. In addition. For their immidiate expansion the company plans to create over 20 green field eyecare and diabetic hospitals across India taking the number of hospitals to over 35 by April 2012. “By expanding organically and inorganically we plan to move from current five city operation to 20 city operations within the next 12 months and have a network of 50 hospitals by End 2012,” signs off Dr Velu.

mneelam.kachhap@expressindia.com

Simple tips for healthy eyes

Your eyes are an important part of your health. You can do many things to keep them healthy and make sure you’re seeing your best. Follow these simple guidelines for maintaining healthy eyes well into your golden years.

Have a comprehensive dilated eye exam. You might think your vision is fine or that your eyes are healthy, but visiting your eye care professional for a comprehensive dilated eye exam is the only way to really be sure. When it comes to common vision problems, some people don’t realize they could see better with glasses or contact lenses. In addition, many common eye diseases, such as glaucoma, diabetic eye disease, and age-related macular degeneration, often have no warning signs. A dilated eye exam is the only way to detect these diseases in their early stages.

During a comprehensive dilated eye exam, your eye care professional places drops in your eyes to dilate, or widen, the pupil to allow more light to enter the eye—the same way an open door lets more light into a dark room. This process enables your eye care professional to get a good look at the back of the eyes and examine them for any signs of damage or disease. Your eye care professional is the only one who can determine if your eyes are healthy and if you’re seeing your best.

Know your family’s eye health history. Talk to your family members about their eye health history. It’s important to know if anyone has been diagnosed with an eye disease or condition, since many are hereditary. This information will help to determine if you’re at higher risk for developing an eye disease or condition.

Eat right to protect your sight. You’ve heard that carrots are good for your eyes. But eating a diet rich in fruits and vegetables—particularly dark leafy greens, such as spinach, kale, or collard greens—is important for keeping your eyes healthy, too.i Research has also shown there are eye health benefits from eating fish high in omega-3 fatty acids, such as salmon, tuna, and halibut.

Maintain a healthy weight. Being overweight or obese increases your risk of developing diabetes and other systemic conditions, which can lead to vision loss, such as diabetic eye disease or glaucoma. If you’re having trouble maintaining a healthy weight, talk to your doctor.

Signs of Diabetic Eye Disease

Wear protective eyewear. Wear protective eyewear when playing sports or doing activities around the home. Protective eyewear includes safety glasses and goggles, safety shields, and eye guards specially designed to provide the correct protection for the activity in which you’re engaged. Most protective eyewear lenses are made of polycarbonate, which is 10 times stronger than other plastics. Many eye care providers sell protective eyewear, as do some sporting goods stores.

Quit smoking or never start. Smoking is as bad for your eyes as it is for the rest of your body. Research has linked smoking to an increased risk of developing age-related macular degeneration, cataract, and optic nerve damage, all of which can lead to blindness.ii, iii

Be cool and wear your shades. Sunglasses are a great fashion accessory, but their most important job is to protect your eyes from the sun’s ultraviolet rays. When purchasing sunglasses, look for ones that block out 99 to 100 percent of both UV-A and UV-B radiation.

Give your eyes a rest. If you spend a lot of time at the computer or focusing on any one thing, you sometimes forget to blink and your eyes can get fatigued. Try the 20-20-20 rule: Every 20 minutes, look away about 20 feet in front of you for 20 seconds. This short exercise can help reduce eyestrain.

Clean your hands and your contact lenses—properly. To avoid the risk of infection, always wash your hands thoroughly before putting in or taking out your contact lenses. Make sure to disinfect contact lenses as instructed and replace them as appropriate.

Practice workplace eye safety. Employers are required to provide a safe work environment. When protective eyewear is required as a part of your job, make a habit of wearing the appropriate type at all times, and encourage your coworkers to do the same.

Source: www.cdc.gov
Image: Orangeacid

Tags: eye care tips, eye disease, Eye examination, Macular degeneration, Sify Health

tips for eye beauty

Eyes are one of the most important organ in the human body and vision is one of the most wonderful gift. But often many people neglect the importance of eye care and do not pay proper attention towards eye care.
Given below are some eye care tips for beautiful and attractive eyes.
Dip a cotton pad in a cup of water overnight. Strain this in the morning and add 1 cup of plain water to this. Splash the eyes with this water or wash them with the help of an eyecup.
Dip a pad of cotton wool in rose water to which 2-3 drops of Castor oil is mixed. Place these soaked pads on the eyelids for 15-20 minutes. Eye burns and other problems will be reduced.
Splash the eyes with a weak n very liter tea solution, thoroughly strained and cooled for 2 to 3 minutes.
Place Cotton pads dipped in a cold tea solution for an hour on the eyelids for 10 to 15 minutes and relax.
Dark Circles - Natural eye care, removing dark circles
Grate 3 pieces of cucumber and squeeze them through a muslin cloth and extract the juice. Dip cotton pads in this juice for 2 minutes and place on eyelids and darkened areas. Relax for 15 minutes for best results continue for 2 to3 days.
Take 1 teaspoon of Tomato pulp,1 pinch of Turmeric powder, half teaspoon of lime juice and 1 teaspoon of gram flour. Make a paste of the above ingredients and apply gently on the eye lids and the darkened areas and let it remain for half an hour. Remove gently with moist cotton pads after half an hour. Repeat this for a week
Deep Sunken Eyes - Herbal treatment
Mix 1 teaspoon of honey with half teaspoon of almond oil. Apply the above mixture gently on the eyes at bedtime. Repeat this for a week.
Soak 5 Almonds overnight. Peel them and mix it with a glass of milk eat the almonds by chewing well. Repeat this in the morning for 21 days should definitely help.
Puffy Eyes
Slice a raw Potato and circle the closed eyes with these halves. Or else grate a raw Potato and place on Muslin cloth and squeeze. Place these on the eyes and relax for 15-20 minutes.
Place cotton pads dipped in chilled milk before boiling on the eye lids while relaxing for 10-15 minutes.
In a small bowl of chilled water add few drops of Vitamin E oil. Dip cotton pads for 5 minutes in this and place on the eyes while relaxing for 20 minutes everyday.
Eyecare Instructions for people using computers and computer professionals
Spending long hours in front of television or computers is part of peoples life today. Especially if you are a computer professional, there is usually no escape from it. This causes many eyes and vision related problems in future. Here are some useful eye care tips for computer users.
After every 20 to 30 minutes of work, look at a distant away object and blink several times. This will help in better focusing
Blink frequently. People tend to reduce blink rate while working on computer. This can lead to dry eyes. Try to blink 12 to 15 times every minute.
Exercise you eyes at frequent intervals. Eye exercise is simple. All you need to do is just blink several times, then close your eyes and role them in clockwise and anti clockwise direction. While doing this, inhale and exhale slowly and open your eyes slowly after doing this.
Rub your palms against each other till them become warm. Cover your eyes with your warm palms for about a minute. Palming is another great way to relax and soothe your eyes.
Splashing water on you face during breaks can keep you refreshed. This also helps in cooling your eyes.
A few minutes of walk during breaks will refresh your body and mind. It is also good for your eyes as walking increases blood supply to your eyes.
Fix an anti glare screen on to your monitor or use anti glare glass while working on computers. Also position the monitor and lights in such a manner that glare from the screen is minimum.