Care for your glittering pair
About the author
Dr. Savitha Suri has been an Ayurvedic practitioner since 1989. After getting a graduation degree in Ayurveda (Bachelor of Ayurvedic Medicine and Surgery) in 1988 from University of Mysore, India, she started practising Ayurveda . Her articles about Ayurveda have been published in newspapers and on websites, and she is a regular health columnist to a regional newspaper.
Dr. Savitha Suri lives in Mysore, Karnataka, India. She gives consultations in Mysore and also in Bangalore, the silicon valley of India.
www.ayurhelp.com
Once while browsing through the internet, I came across a short and sweet poem, written by an unknown author, describing the beauty of eyes and expressions hidden in them. The poem was so beautiful that I just made a note of it. Here is the poem:
In your eyes I see a thousand setting suns,
Glorious and mighty, more days are done.
In your eyes I see the beauty in a simple flower,
the majesty...the sweetness...the power.
In your eyes I see what could be,
faithfully, lovingly, you and me.
In your eyes my world spins round
your voice...passion the sound.
Mostly in your eyes I see love.
Saying that the eyes are the most effective and expressive tools of communication would indeed be no understatement. They mirror a person's myriad of moods and emotions. Eyes have fascinated poets since time immemorial.
We humans are blessed with a highly developed brain which decodes the stimuli from the five sense organs and draws an inference about the object beheld. God has blessed us with eyes to enjoy the beauty and variety offered by the world he has created around us. Our eyes deserve special care.
According to the Ayurvedic tradition many factors can affect the function of the eyes - reducing their efficiency and causing discomfort. Eye disease is said to be caused by the vitiation of the three doshas. The tridoshas (vatha, pitta and kapha) function normally in their respective channels and places when they are in a balanced condition, but cause disease when they are imbalanced. The main factors, which vitiate these doshas in eyes, are:
- Taking a cold bath after brisk exercise, or after roaming in a hot climate.
- Straining the eyes for very long hours.
- Keeping awake for a very long time, or sleeping in the afternoon.
- Moving in dust, a polluted environment, or in smoke.
- Controlling natural urges.
- Head injuries.
- Using the microscope continuously.
- Alcoholism.
All these factors vitiate the doshas of eyes and cause numerous diseases of the eyes.
Tired eyes
Tired eyes are mostly caused by allergies, fatigue, over strain of eyes, infection and inadequate supply of oxygen to the tissues of the eyes. The main symptoms of tired eyes are dryness and irritation.
Self care for tired eyes
- Give your eyes a rest by closing them for a minute's interval in between work hours.
- Have a good night's sleep for 6- 7 hrs.
- Place a fresh slice of cucumber on eyes for few minutes. This revitalizes eyes.
- Wash your eyes with cold water several times a day.
- Mix a few drops of rose water in a cup of water. Dip two cotton gauzes in it and place them on your eyes for few minutes.
Consult an ophthalmologist if itching, redness or discomfort persists.
Dry eyes
Tears flow from our eyes when we are sad or too happy. But our eyes are always protected by a thin film of tears. This film represents aap dhatu or jaladhatu (the water element) according to Ayurveda. The film of liquid keeps our vision clear and protects our eyes from irritations. A reduction in the production of tears causes variation in the film and dries the eyes out. This condition is called dry eyes.
Causes for dry eyes
- Age: As we get old, the tear production reduces causing dry eyes. This is more prevalent in women than men.
- Systemic diseases: Medical conditions like rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, scleroderma etc.
- Some medications: Some medications like diuretics, antihistamines, decongestants, sleeping pills, some antidepressants, acne medications and opiate preparations can cause dry eyes. An allergic reaction to eye ointments and eye drops is another possible cause.
- Diseases of eyes: Blepheritis (inflammation of edges of eyelids), entropion (inward bending of eyelid), ectropion (outward bending of eyelid).
- Irritants present in the environment: smoke, dust, wind, sun, and dry climate.
- Lifestyle: Working in front of a computer for long hours, reading for long hours, and driving.
- Varied composition of tears: Tears are a mixture of water, fatty oils, proteins, electrolytes, etc.
- According to ayurveda principles the vitiated vayu causes this condition.
Signs and symptoms of dry eyes
Usually both eyes get affected in this condition. Itching, burning or stinging sensation in eyes as if a foreign substance is inside is common. You find it very difficult to wear contact lenses. Eyes get tired easily. Secretion of mucus in the form of threads, around eyes. Eyes get very quickly irritated when exposed to smoke or wind.
If the above mentioned symptoms persist for a prolonged period please consult an ophthalmologist.
Prevention of dry eyes
- Avoid direct blowing of air into eyes through hair driers, fans or air conditioners.
- Wear cooling glasses when it is too sunny or windy.
- Wear swimming goggles to prevent excess irritation.
- Avoid a dry climate.
- Don't forget to blink when you work in front of computer or while reading or while watching TV.
- Avoid rubbing your eyes.
Home remedies for dry eyes
- Boil castor leaves in water and allow it to cool down, when this decoction is lukewarm, dip cotton gauze it and place it over both eyes. When the gauze becomes cold it can be dipped once again in the decoction and placed on the eyes.
- Boil two spoons of triphala powder in a glass of water until it reduces to a quarter of a glass. When it is lukewarm, filter it and add a spoon of honey. Drinking this decoction every day strengthens the eyes.
Dark circles
Dark circles are a common beauty complaint. Nine out of 10 people have dark circles under their eyes at one time or another, as the skin beneath our eyes is very thin. As we get exposed to the rays of the sun, the skin under the eyes gets damaged and becomes more thin and wrinkled, and the veins below this thin skin start looking prominent. Thus the wrinkles and prominent veins form dark circles. Sometimes pigmentation also causes dark circles.
Causes of dark circles
- Age
- Over exposure to sun
- Lack of sleep
- Lack of nutrients
- Allergies
- Eczema
- Asthma
- Hereditary
- Fatigue
- Chronic diseases
- Pregnancy
- Menstruation
Remedies for dark circles
- Conceal the dark circles through make up techniques.
- Do not use bleach or peels to make the dark circles light.
- Apply a mild moisturizer under eyes, taking care not to apply too much. Lightly tap the under-eye skin with one or two fingers to increase the blood circulation.
- Treat the cause of the illness mentioned above.
- Make sure you get enough sleep.
- Do not scratch the under-eye skin.
- Eat well, ensuring your diet is rich in nutrients.
Conjunctivitis (pink eye)
Conjunctivitis, or pink eye, may be caused by viruses, bacteria or allergic substances like pollen or dust. Conjunctivitis caused by bacteria or a virus may affect one or both eyes. Allergic conjunctivitis affects both eyes.
The most common symptoms are: redness, itching, a gritty feeling, tearing and discharge from one or both eyes. Blurred vision and sensitivity to light also accompany the above symptoms.
Prevention of conjunctivitis
- Avoid using other's eye makeup and sharing your cosmetics with others.
- Do not touch your eyes repeatedly with your hands.
- Wash your hands repeatedly and thoroughly throughout the day.
- Change pillow covers frequently.
- Do not share your napkins, towels, and hand kerchiefs with others and don't use others'.
- Wash the above mentioned items daily in warm water and press them using a hot iron.
- Take proper care of your contact lenses according to your doctor's or optician's instructions.
- Avoid rubbing your eyes.
