Dryness i.both eyes I'm frequentlybike driving - #31737

Eye wash with triphala water. Minimum use of digital media. Regular exercise. Increase intake of raw vegetables and fruits. Opthacare eye drops 2-2-2-2

Dry eyes can be uncomfortable, but with the right approach, you can manage the symptoms and improve your eye health. Since you wear spectacles, it’s good that you’re seeking advice that takes this into consideration. The fact that you’re 45 and have recently started wearing glasses is also relevant, as dry eyes often become more common with age.

Here’s a breakdown of how to address dry eyes and improve your eye health, including lifestyle changes, foods, and drinks.

Understanding Dry Eyes

Dry eye syndrome occurs when your eyes either don’t produce enough tears or the tears are of poor quality. Tears are essential for keeping your eyes lubricated, nourished, and protected from debris and infection. When this balance is disrupted, you can experience symptoms like:

A gritty, burning, or scratchy sensation

Redness

Blurry vision

Light sensitivity

Feeling like you have something in your eye

Interestingly, sometimes excessively watery eyes (as a reflex to the irritation)

Steps to Relieve Dry Eyes

Use Artificial Tears (Eye Drops): This is the most common and effective first-line treatment for mild to moderate dry eyes.

Over-the-Counter Options: Many brands are available. You might need to try a few to find the one that works best for you.

Preservative-Free: If you need to use eye drops more than four times a day, consider a preservative-free brand, as the preservatives in some drops can cause further irritation with frequent use.

Regular Use: For chronic dry eyes, using artificial tears regularly, even when your eyes feel fine, can help prevent symptoms from flaring up.

Adjust Your Environment and Habits:

Blink More Often: We tend to blink less when we’re focused on a task, especially when looking at a computer or phone screen. Make a conscious effort to blink more frequently.

Follow the 20-20-20 Rule: Every 20 minutes, look at something 20 feet away for at least 20 seconds. This gives your eyes a break and encourages blinking.

Use a Humidifier: Adding moisture to the air, especially in dry, heated, or air-conditioned rooms, can help.

Wear Protective Eyewear: When outdoors, wear wraparound sunglasses to shield your eyes from wind, dust, and debris, which can worsen dryness. Your current spectacles might offer some protection, but a wraparound style would provide more coverage.

Avoid Direct Airflow: Don’t let hair dryers, car vents, or fans blow directly into your face.

Warm Compresses: Place a warm, clean washcloth over your closed eyes for a few minutes. This can help to unclog the oil glands in your eyelids, which are crucial for producing the oily layer of your tears.

Proper Eye Hygiene:

Gently massage your eyelids with a warm washcloth to help release oils from the glands.

You can also clean your eyelids daily with a mild soap (like baby shampoo) or a commercially available eyelid cleanser. This removes excess oil, bacteria, and debris that can contribute to irritation.

Regarding Your Spectacles:

Wearing spectacles for vision correction does not typically cause dry eyes. However, a poorly fitted pair or the wrong design can sometimes contribute to the issue by not adequately protecting your eyes.

As mentioned above, a larger or wraparound style frame can help shield your eyes from environmental factors.

If you’re using a computer for long periods, ask your optometrist about lens coatings or tints designed to reduce digital eye strain, which can also be a factor in dry eyes.

Diet and Nutrition for Eye Health

What you eat and drink can have a significant impact on your eye health and tear quality. Focus on a diet rich in vitamins, minerals, and healthy fats.

Foods to Include:

Omega-3 Fatty Acids: These have anti-inflammatory properties and are essential for the oily layer of your tears.

Sources: Oily fish like salmon, mackerel, and sardines. Plant-based sources include flaxseeds, chia seeds, walnuts, and soybeans.

Vitamin A: Crucial for maintaining a healthy cornea and helping you see in low light.

Sources: Carrots, sweet potatoes, spinach, kale, and other orange-colored vegetables and dark leafy greens.

Vitamin C: A powerful antioxidant that supports the blood vessels in your eyes and may help reduce the risk of cataracts.

Sources: Citrus fruits (oranges, lemons), bell peppers, strawberries, and broccoli.

Vitamin E: Another antioxidant that protects your eyes from damage.

Sources: Nuts (almonds, walnuts), seeds (sunflower seeds), and leafy greens.

Zinc: Helps bring Vitamin A from your liver to your retina.

Sources: Lean meat, poultry, beans, nuts, and legumes.

Lutein and Zeaxanthin: These antioxidants are found in the macula of the eye and help protect it from harmful light.

Sources: Dark leafy greens like spinach, kale, and collard greens, as well as eggs and corn.

Drinks to Include:

Water: Staying well-hydrated is one of the most basic and important things you can do for your eyes. Dehydration can worsen dry eye symptoms. Drink plenty of water throughout the day (8-10 glasses is a good target).

Green Tea: Contains antioxidants that are beneficial for overall eye health.

Fruit and Vegetable Juices: Juices made from the fruits and vegetables listed above can be a great way to get a concentrated dose of eye-healthy nutrients. For example, a juice with carrots, oranges, and spinach would be excellent.

Dealing with dryness in your eyes, particularly if you’re frequently driving a bike and wearing spectacles, can be tricky. In Ayurveda, dryness suggests an imbalance in the Vata dosha, which can affect the lubrication and health of the eyes. Along with the Vata dosha, eye health is closely related to the Pitta dosha due to its connection with sight and clarity. To help counter this dryness, adding moisture and coolness can be beneficial.

First, consider your diet. Foods rich in Amla (Indian gooseberry) are extremely beneficial as they are high in Vitamin C and aid in reducing Pitta. Consuming fruits and vegetables with good water content can also help like cucumbers and watermelon. Incorporate ghee in your diet as it’s known for its unctuous properties, which aid Vata imbalances. Drink warm milk with turmeric before bed, which can nourish the eye tissues and provide lubrication.

For drinks, consuming herbal teas made from fennel seeds or coriander can be soothing. Both herbs have cooling properties, making them suitable for reducing Pitta and calming Vata. Simply boil a teaspoon of fennel seeds or coriander seeds in water, strain, and sip throughout the day.

It’s also vital to follow a daily routine that reduces strain on your eyes. Try practicing ‘palming’ wherein you gently cup your palms over your closed eyes without applying pressure. Doing this for a few minutes encourages relaxation and rest for your eyes. Splash your eyes with cold water to provide instant relief from dryness.

Finally, if eye dryness persists, consult with an ophthalmologist. Make sure that there is no underlying condition that requires attention. Balancing your doshas with these Ayurvedic practices can contribute to eye health, but make sure it complements any modern medical advice you receive.

Your eye dryness and weak vision are mainly due to poor nourishment and strain on the eyes , we focus on strengthening eye muscles , improving eye lubrication and giving nutrition through diet medicine and eye exercises Saptamritha lauh 1-0-1 with honey and ghee Triphala grith 1-0-0 with warm milk Punarnavasava 15-0-15 ml with equal water Include ghee milk soaked almonds walnuts pumpkin seeds green leafy vegetables fresh Amla juice Avoid late nights exc screen exposure Do trataka exercises

HELLO PUNNAM,

You are experiencing dryness in both eyes, more when bike driving (wind/dust exposure), at age 45, with spectacles for sight correction

In modern medicine, this is called “dry eye syndrome”- where your eyes do not produce enough tears, or the tears evaporate too quickly

In Ayurveda, this relate to vata-pitta imbalance

-VATA=> causes dryness, roughness, lack of lubrication -piita=> causes burning, irritation, redness, with age after 40, natural lubrication of eyes decreases because of dhatu kshaya (tissue depletion)

TREATMENT GOALS -Lubricate and nourish the eyes reduce dryness -balance vata-pitta dosha (main cause of the problem) -strengthen optic tissues -protect eyes from external irritants (dust, wind, pollution) -improve general health, digestion, and immunity because eyes are reflection of overall health

INTERNAL MEDICATIONS

1) TRIPHALA GHRITA= 1 tsp at bedtime with warm milk for 3 months =nourishes eyes, balances pitta, lubricates dryness, improves vision

2) AMALAKI RASAYANA= 1 tsp with warm water in morning =rich in vitamin c, antioxidant, rejuvenates eyes, prevent degeneration

3) SAPTAMRIT LAUHA= 250mg twice daily with ghee =strengthens optic nerves, relieves strain, reduces burning

4) CHYAWANPRASHA= 1 tsp daily in morning with milk =rejuvinator, prevents age-elated eye weakness

5) GHEE AND MILK -take 1 glass warm milk with 1/2 tsp ghee at night =improves lubrication, nourishes tissues

EXTERNAL TREATMENT

1) NASYA= 2 drops of Anu taila in each nostril morning and night =lubricates eyes, reduces dryness , strengthens sense organs

2) ROSE WATER DROPS= 2 drops in eyes once daily =cooling, soothing, reduces dryness

3) TRIPHALA EYE WASH -soak triphala powder overnight in copper veesel-> strain in morning-> wash eyes =cleanses, improves circulation, relieves burning

BENEFICIAL FOODS -cow ghee, butter and fresh warm milk -green leafy vegetables= spinach, moringa, fenugreek -carrots, beetroot, pumpkin-> rich in vitamin A -amla, oranges, papaya-> rich in vitamin C -almonds (soaked), walnuts, flax seeds-> Omega-3 for tear production -whole grains, green gram, seasonal fruits -coconut water, buttermilk with cumin, and herbal teas

AVOID -junk food, deep fried, spicy, sour, salty, dry snacks -excess tea, coffee, alcohol, smoking -very hot, very cold foods- disturb eye balance

LIFESTYLE -use protective glasses when driving bike to block wind, dust, uv -take breaks during screen use (20-20-20 rule: every 20 mins, look at 20 feet away for 20 seconds) -sleep 7-8 hours -avoid late nights, excess stress, and continuous eye train

YOGA AND EYE EXERCISE -Trakata= steady gazing at a candle flame-> strengthens eyes, improves tear film

-Palmig- rub palms, cup over closed eyes

-Eye rotations- clockwise/anticlockwise

-Gentle blinking exercises

PRANAYAM -Anulom vilom -sheetali -bhramari

HOME REMEDIES -1 tsp cow ghee at night with warm milk -soak 7-10 almonds overnight, eat in morning -drink amla juice daily -apply cold cucumber slices over closed eyelids -use humidifier or bowl of water in room if air is very dry

-Your condition is manageable and reversible with consistent care

DO FOLLOW

HOPE THIS MIGHT BE HELPFUL

THANK YOU

DR. MAITRI ACHARYA

Dryness in the eyes, particularly for someone like you who frequently drives a bike and wears spectacles, might be influenced by factors like prolonged exposure to wind and dust, inadequate hydration, or dietary imbalances. Addressing this requires a holistic approach rooted in the Siddha-Ayurvedic tradition.

To alleviate dryness, consider practices to support your eye health and overall wellbeing. First, ghee (clarified butter) has lubricating properties and may help mitigate dryness. Applying a small amount of sterile ghee on the eyelids before sleep can be beneficial. Triphala powder, known for balancing the doshas and promoting eye health, can be consumed—mix one teaspoon in water, let it sit overnight, and drink the strained liquid in the morning on an empty stomach.

It’s important to ensure you stay hydrated, so aim for at least 8-10 glasses of water daily. For drinks, try consuming Amla (Indian Gooseberry) juice every morning, as it is rich in Vitamin C and antioxidants, which support eye nourishment.

From a dietary perspective, include foods that are rich in Omega-3 fatty acids like walnuts and flaxseeds, they contribute to reducing inflammation and improving tear production. Fresh green leafy vegetables, carrots, and beetroots can be integrated into your meals due to their high content of vitamins and minerals essential for eye health.

Avoid excessive consumption of caffeine and processed foods, as they can contribute to dehydration. Also, wear protective eyewear to shield your eyes from wind and dust while biking. Incorporating regular eye exercises or palming techniques—rubbing your hands together and gently placing palms over closed eyes—can also provide relaxation.

Lastly, if dryness persists, consult with an Ayurvedic practitioner or healthcare professional to explore underlying causes furthermore. In some instances, medical check-up might be necessary to rule out underlying conditions.

HELLO PUNNAM,

1) DAILY EYE CARE

-TRIPHALA GHRITA= 1 tsp with warm water at bedtime

-NETRA TARPANA (therapeutic ghee pooling over eyes)= done by an Ayurvedic doctor; deeply nourishes eyes

-ANJANA (collyrium) with sauviranjana (ayurvedic eye application)- occasionally

-Protect eyes while driving : always use protective glasses/gogles to reduce dryness from wind.

2) DIET Eat foods that are unctous, cooling, and nourishing for eyes -Cow’s ghee= add in food daily (very good for eye health) -Milk and milk products if digestion allowws -Green leafy vegetables=spinach, drumstick leaves, coriander , curry leaves -Carrots, beetroot, pumpkin (rich in vitamin A) -Amla= raw, juice or chywanprasha -Soaked almonds or walnuts= good for eye lubrication -Yellow and orange fruits= papaya, mango, orange

DRINKS -Amla juice or Aloe vera juice= 20-30 ml daily -Warm milk with turmeric and ghee at night -Coconutt water= natural coolant -Herbal teas= triphala water or fennel seed tea

LIFESTYLE

EYE WASH= use triphala decoction cooled overnight-> strain and wash eyes in the morning

ADEQUATE SLEEP= dryness worsens with less sleep

Reduce excess screen time= follow 20-20-20 rule (every 20 mins, look 20 feet away for 20 seconds)

Avoid excess spicy, dry, and junk foods- they aggravate dryness

THANK YOU

DR. HEMANSHU MEHTA