EYE PROBLEMS

THERE ARE THREE common eye problems that people consult me about, and, since their names are unfamiliar, I’ve discussed them together.
Before I outline the simple problems you can deal with yourself through natural means, I should mention symptoms that should send you directly to your doctor. They include:

• Something in your eye that you can’t remove after flushing with water.
• An injury to your eye that involves a cut or a puncture or a blow that causes pain or affects your vision.
• A chemical in the eye that causes pain after flushing with water.
• Unusual sensitivity to light.
• Eye inflammation during a bout with cold sores or herpes.
• Sudden loss of vision or the appearance of halos around light sources.
• Pain in connection with the use of contact lenses.

Now, here are the symptoms you can deal with yourself using natural methods.

DRY EYES

Dry eyes are eyes that are tired, burn, and sometimes ironically are also watery. Dry eyes are a common problem of older people. About 30 percent of people over forty-unaccountability, most of them are women-stiffer from dry eyes. As we age, tile quantity and quality of tear production simply slows down and/or the oil produced in the eyelid gland isn’t as copious. Sometimes people can have dry eyes or insufficient tear production as a side effect of a drug that they’re taking. Diuretics and antidepressants can cause them and so can antihistamines. Sometimes vitamin B6, which is a natural diuretic, or DLPA or tyrosine, which are natural antidepressants, can cause dry eyes. Sometimes, dry eyes are associated with thyroid problems, rheumatoid arthritis, or Sjogren’s syndrome, a connective-tissue disease.

If your eves are dry, your first step should be consulting your doctor to find out the cause. Once you’re sure it’s not an eyelid abnormality, infection, or systemic disease, you can treat the problem naturally. There are products on the market that mimic natural tears and can be used as eye drops. You can buy these products over-the-counter at any pharmacy. Just avoid brands that contain “vasoconstrictors.” These substances constrict the blood vessels in the eyes, thus exacerbating the problem.

Some of my patients have had success with evening primrose oil used as a supplement. Because dry heat in winter can further irritate dry eyes, use a humidifier. One simple thing to keep in mind is to protect your eyes from sun and wind. If you don’t already wear glasses, wear sunglasses.

NATURAL PRESCRIPTION FOR DRY EYES

• Check with your doctor to learn the cause of your dry eyes and to be sure that it’s not a symptom of some other condition that needs attention, such as an infection.
• Use artificial tears, which are available over-the-counter. Avoid brands containing vasoconstrictors.
• Use a humidifier during dry seasons or when indoor heat Is on.
• Protect your eyes from sun and wind by wearing sunglasses.

IN ADDITION TO YOUR DAILY SUPPLEMENTS, TAKE:

Evening primrose oil: 500 mg. three times a day.

BLEPHARITIS

Most people have never heard of this problem before, even if they have it! Blephartis is a condition that causes scaly red eyelids. It looks and acts like dandruff of the eyelids; in fact, it’s usually connected with dandruff and is commonly a term of sebhorrheic eczema. Sometimes bacteria will exacerbate the situation, and in the worst cases, small ulcers may develop on tile eyelids and lashes can fall out. Some people with blepharitis are prone to conjunctivitis because flakes fall into the eye and irritate it (see Conjunctivitis, page 90).

The best approach to treating blepharitis is to keep the eyelids clean by washing them twice a day with soap and warm water, or with a solution of baking soda or salt in warm water.

You can also try shampoos formulated for dandruff that are available in any pharmacy. The ones with ZPT or zinc pyrithione as the active ingredient are quite effective; just be very careful to keep the shampoo out of your eyes.

Finally, if your blepharitis just won’t seem to clear up, or if it clears up but keeps coming back, you might have a hidden food allergy that’s causing the problem.

NATURAL PRESCRIPTION FOR BLEPHARITIS

• Wash the eyelids twice a day with either warm soap and water, a solution of one cup warm water to one tablespoon baking soda, or a solution of one teaspoon salt to a cup of warm water.
• Try using an antidandruff shampoo with ZPT or zinc pyrithione as the active ingredient, such as Selsun Blue.
• If you have a recurring problem with blepharitis, you could have a food allergy that’s causing the condition.

IN ADDITION: If your eyes don’t clear up in about two weeks, you should see your doctor who can prescribe an ointment that will help. Certain prescription antifungal creams can be very effective if your blepharitis is due to eczema, but you must be careful not to get it in your eyes. However, do not use cortizone cream around yoar eyes. Nizoral, a prescription shampoo, can also help.

FOREIGN BODIES IN THE EYE

It is no mystery when there’s something in your eye: It hurts! Before you do anything about it, look in a mirror and try to see what is causing the pain. If it looks like an object or speck is really imbedded in your cornea, you should see a doctor or go to an emergency room. If you’ve determined that the problem is something on the surface of the eye, you can proceed. You may feel the urge to rub your eye. Don’t. If what you have in your eye is gritty or sharp, rubbing can imbed it and cause further problems. Instead, pull your upper eyelid over the lower, and roll your eye. This motion will help to dislodge the foreign body. If that doesn’t work, try rinsing the eye with plato water.

Sometimes, if you blow your nose, the foreign body can be dislodged. If none of these techniques seems to help, you should go to a doctor or to an emergency room.

NATURAL PRESCRIPTION FOR FOREIGN BODIES IN THE EYE

• Don’t rub your eye; you might scratch the cornea.
• Pull your upper eyelid down over the lower lid and roll your eye.
• Try rinsing your eye with plain water, using an eyecup (available at pharmacies) or by cupping clean water in your clean palm and holding it against your eye.
• Blow your nose.
• If nothing else works, see your doctor or go to an emergency room.