Cataract Symptoms, Causes and Prevention
There is no doubt that failing eyesight is one of the signs of aging. For some, however, a condition called cataracts may eventually lead to blindness if left untreated. Cataracts cover the surface of the eyes with a cloudy film that eventually block your vision either partially or completely.
Signs and Symptoms
Cataracts grow gradually and painlessly and may remain unnoticed until you experience some loss of vision. The following are early warning signs of cataracts:
- Clouded or blurry vision
- Increased difficulty with vision at night-time
- Sensitivity to bright light
- Seeing halos around lights
- Having double vision in one eye
Cataract Causes
Your eyes need a regular balance of calcium, potassium and sodium ions within its lenses. This balance may be disturbed by any of the following factors:
- Excessive exposure to harmful ultraviolet B rays (UVB) found in sunlight and artificial light.
- Exposure to environmental toxins such as lead and cadmium.
- Physical trauma from eye injuries.
- High sugar levels around the eyes as a result of diabetes.
- Chemicals in certain pharmaceutical drugs that treat allergies and gout.
- Nutritional deficiencies in Vitamin-C, B-2, copper, manganese and zinc.
Traditional Chinese medicine blames liver qi stagnation or poor liver function as the usual cause of cataracts. Persons who eat foods that are high in sugar, dairy, alcoholic drinks and sodas tend to gradually form crystalline substances on the lenses.
Cataract Prevention Read more..
Glaucoma
According to the World Health Organization, glaucoma is the second leading cause of blindness in the world today. It affects both males and females regardless of age, although it is more common among people over 60, and those suffering from diabetes. Glaucoma is an eye disease which puts pressure on the optic nerve found in the eye, and if left untreated, it may one day lead to loss of vision.
Symptoms
In most cases of glaucoma, there are hardly any warning signs of its onset until peripheral vision is lost. Regular eye examinations may detect the early stages of glaucoma and may lead to a successful treatment plan to prevent its progression.
Causes
Modern medicine views glaucoma as a disease that arises from extremely high pressure occurring inside the eyeball which pushes against the optic nerve and damages it. On the other hand, traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) maintains that eye diseases like glaucoma indicate a liver problem. According to TCM, your eyes are closely connected to the liver such that poor liver function may be detected by merely examining your eyes. Furthermore, the liver works non-stop to filter blood and produces “heat” in the process. When you work too much, drink alcohol excessively, don’t get enough sleep and are generally stressed, your liver may produce too much heat which may rise upward towards the head and apply pressure on the eyes.
