Eye strain – all you need to know.

Eyestrain is a common problem that everyone experiences. We strain our eyes using the computer, reading, watching TV and doing other demanding visual tasks. It is a wonder that many of us can still focus our eyes at the end of the day!
Symptoms of eyestrain are many; headache, blurred and double vision, watery eyes and an inability to focus are problems we all experience. What can be done? Homeopathy can help relieve the strain and get our eyes back in focus.

Homeopathy is scientific method of therapy based on the principle of stimulating the body’s own healing processes in order to accomplish cure. The basic system was devised and verified by Samuel Hahnemann, a German physician, nearly 200 years ago. Homeopathy’s astounding success rates in both chronic and acute diseases has not only stood the test of time, but has rapidly achieved widespread acceptance in Europe, India and South America.

In Homeopathy (“homeo-” means “similar”), each of us is a total complete individual, no aspect of which can be separated from any other. In Homeopathy each patient is evaluated as a whole person- mental, emotional and physical. The prescribing remedy is based on the unique patterns found on all three levels. This means that each person is given a remedy that will stimulate his or her particular body to heal. Ten people with eye- strain might receive ten different homeopathic remedies.

Some Common Homeopathic Remedies for Eye Strain

RUTA GRAVEOLENS:
Ailments from straining especially from fine work. Symptoms are worse during exertion of vision. There can be a feeling stiffness in the eye muscles.

NATRIUM MURIATICUM:
There is a bruised and stiff sensation, which is worse while reading and exerting the vision. It is difficult to read and the letters can run together.

PHYSOSTIGMA:
There is twitching of the muscles around the eye. There can also be difficulty focusing and irritability after using eyes. The pupils can sometimes appear very small from eyestrain.

ONOSMODIUM:
There is a strained and tired feeling in eye muscles. There can also be a tense drawing pain over the eyes. This pain tends to be worse over the over left eye. Distances are difficult to judge.

Recommended dose is 6C every two hours during the eyestrain. As with all homeopathic remedies stop the medication when the symptoms improve or if any new symptoms develop. In addition to eyestrain, Homeopathy can also be of value in the treatment of many eye problems such as cataracts, glaucoma and macular degeneration. It is best to see an experienced homeopathic practitioner for the evaluation of these conditions.

Edward C. Kondrot, MD

Similasan - Natural remedies for eyestrain

Similasan’s Computer Eye Relief
The active ingredients in Similasan Computer Eye Relief eye drops stimulate the eye’s natural ability to relieve eyestrain due to intense computer work, high TV consumption, significant amounts of reading or writing and driving at night. The homeopathic ingredients include Conium maculatum 6x for double vision, black spots and aching; Natrummuriaticum 6x for weak muscles and blurred vision; Rutagraveolens6x for eyelid spasms, eyestrain, pain and pressure; and Senegaofficinalis 6x for aching, dryness and light sensitivity.
Active ingredients are microdiluted in accordance with the Homeopathic Pharmacopoeia of the United States and therefore are nontoxic and have no known side effects. Inactive ingredients include a borate buffer, purified water, silver sulfate (as a preservative) and sodium nitrate.

Why do my Eyes feel so dry?

Redness! Burning! Irritation! These words are enough to make your eyes water but you can't. The reason is dry eyes. This is a common ocular problem on the Highveld because of the low humidity which produces an extra demand on our tear glands to keep the eyes lubricated. Other symptoms of dry eyes are a sensation that something is in the eye or even severe pain. These symptoms tend to be worse in dry cool weather and worse during a windy day. Dry eyes can also be aggravated by pollution and underlying allergies. The eye discomfort is worse when reading and worse toward the end of the day.

There are 5 common causes of Dry Eyes:
1) Decrease in blinking. Blinking helps to spread tears across the surface of the eye and lubricate the surface. Any decrease in blinking will cause symptoms of dry eyes.
2) Aging. Tear production decreases with aging. The volume of tear production can be 60% less at age 65 than at age 18.
3) Environment. High altitudes; sunny, dry windy conditions; and the use of heaters, blowers and air conditioning increase tear evaporation and cause symptoms of dry eyes.
4) Contact lenses can dramatically increase tear evaporation. Dry eyes are the leading cause of contact lens discomfort.
5) Some medications decrease the body's ability to produce lubricating tears. These include decongestants, antihistamines, diuretics and many other allopathic medications.

Alternative medicine can help!

Deficiency of Vitamin A has been shown to contribute to dry eyes. The first line of treatment should be a healthy diet with fresh dark green leafy vegetables or supplemental vitamin A. I would recommend 10,000 Units of Vitamin A once a day. Vitamin A can be toxic to the liver so be sure to consult with your health care practitioner.
Primrose Oil 1000 mg twice a day can also be helpful. It is a source of essential fatty acids that aids in the production of several tear components.

Common homeopathic remedies for dry eyes. Suggested dosage is a 6 or 12C twice a day. As with all homeopathic remedies you should stop the medication when symptoms improve.
ACONTINUM NAPELLUS (Acon.)

Symptoms from an exposure to a cold dry wind.Dryness, burning, sensitiveness to air.Burning in the eyes especially worse in the evening.

ARSENICUM ALBUM (Ars-a)
Burning of the margins of the lid. Feeling of sand in the eyes in the evening.Pulsating and throbbing eye pain after midnight. Light sensitivity.

BELLADONNA (Bell.)
Feeling of heat in the eyes. Feeling as if the eyes are protruded.Severe throbbing pain in the eye and head, worse at night.

EUPRHASIA (Euphr.)
Eyes irritated, burning with acrid and profuse tearing. Light sensitivity with intense blinking.

PULSATILLA (Puls.)
Eyelids are stuck together by yellow discharge in the morning. Symptoms better in the cool open air.

MERCURIUS (Merc.)
Redness of eyes with thin and acrid tearing which is worse at night. Marked light sensitivity. Symptoms similar to Euphrasia but they are more marked and there is night time aggravation.

SULPHUR (Sulph.)
Watering in the morning followed by dryness. Redness of the eyes during the day.Redness and burning of the eyelids.

ZINC
Eyelids stick together in the morning. Eyes are painful in the evening with a sensation of sand in the eyes with frequent watering. Constant burning in the eyes with a feeling of dryness. Hot scalding tears.

SIMILASAN DRY RED EYE RELIEF:

Similasan Dry Red Eye Relief™ Homeopathic sterile eye drops

Relieves Symptoms of Dry, Red Eyes
Smog, stress, age and contact lens wear can dry out the eyes but you can have soothing relief from the discomfort of dry eyes with Similasan’sDry Eye Relief sterile eye drops.
Dry Eye Relief stimulates the body’s natural ability to relieve symptoms of dry eyes such as redness of eyes and lids, sensitivity to light and the sensation of grittiness.

Active Ingredients: Purpose
Belladonna* 6X: dryness, redness
Euphrasia 6X: redness
Mercuriussublimatus 6X: dryness
*containing 0.000002% alkaloids calculated as hyoscyamine

Other Information:
Active ingredients are manufactured according to homeopathic principles.

Inactive Ingredients:
Borate buffer, Purified water, Silver sulphate (as preservative), Sodium nitrate

Uses:
According to homeopathic principles, the active ingredients in this homeopathic medicine temporarily relieve minor symptoms such as:

• dry eye
• redness of eyes and lids
• reflex watering secondary to dry eye
• sensation of grittiness
• sensitivity to light

Warnings:

• For external use only.
• Initial exacerbation of symptoms may occur.
• Replace cap tightly after every use.
• To avoid contamination, do not touch the tip of the container to any surface.
• Use within 30 days of opening. Expiration date only refers to unopened bottle.
• Contact wearers: consult a physician prior to using.
• For your protection do not use if tamper evident seal around neck of bottle is missing or broken.

If pregnant or breastfeeding, ask a health professional before use.
Keep out of reach of children. If swallowed, get medical help or contact a Poison Control Center right away.

Do not use:
if the solution changes color or becomes cloudy

Stop use and consult a doctor if:
symptoms worsen or persist for more than 72 hours

• changes in vision occur
• you experience eye pain

Directions:
For adults and children age 2 and over:

• remove tamper-evident seal from neck of bottle
• twist cap off bottle
• squeeze plastic tip to release 2-3 drops into eye
• apply as needed
• replace cap after use
  
  

HomeopathyA Healthier Way to Treat Depression?

Depression lowers the spirits and drowns the eyes in sorrow, though tears aren't the only reason why depressed people sometimes can't see straight. Depression also caves in the chest, slumps the shoulders, and inhibits full breathing, usually forcing unhappy people to try to catch their breath by frequent sighing. It is sometimes said that depression brings you down to sighs (my apology to those readers who get depressed by bad puns).
On a much more serious note, depression can be a temporary passing experience or a deeply disturbing condition that may lead to suicide. Except in cases of minor depressive states, professional attention is generally recommended to help a person go through this emotional experience in a conscious manner.

The Real Dangers of Conventional Medical Treatment

Recent studies published in leading medical journals have seriously questioned the efficacy of conventional pharmaceutical treatment of people with mild or moderate depression.
In early 2010, major media reported on a significant review of research testing antidepressant medications.(1) What is unique about this review of research is that the researchers evaluated studies that were submitted to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), though the researchers discovered that many studies submitted to the FDA were unpublished (they found that the unpublished research consistently showed negative results of antidepressants).

This meta-analysis of antidepressant medications found only modest benefits over placebo treatment in published research, but when unpublished trial data is included, the benefit falls below accepted criteria for clinical significance.

Perhaps most startling about this research is the fact the FDA only requires drug manufacturers to provide them with two positive studies on depression to attain FDA-approval status, even if these same drug companies submit many more studies with negative results. Such information forces consumers to question the efficacy of "FDA approved drugs," and it explains why so many conventional medications eventually get withdrawn from marketplace.

At the same time that the above review research was published, another review of research was published in JAMA (Journal of the American Medical Association), and they found similar results, "The magnitude of benefit of antidepressant medication compared with placebo increases with severity of depression symptoms and may be minimal or nonexistent, on average, in patients with mild or moderate symptoms."(2) These researchers did find benefits from the use of antidepressants in the treatment of severe depression, but because the majority of people taking antidepressants today do not have "severe depression," it is prudent for many people with depression to talk to their doctors about safer and more effective alternatives.

Sadly (and strangely), when conventional doctors today do not obtain adequately effective results with one drug, they often simply prescribe more drugs in hopes that one of them, or their combination, will be more effective (whether this increased use of drugs is effective or not, there are certain "benefits" that drug companies receive from this strategy). However, increasing research is finding that "polypharmacy" (the use of multiple drugs concurrently) may lead to worse, not better, results. New research has shown that polypharmacy with psychotropic medications in suicidal adolescent inpatients has been linked to a significantly increased risk for early readmission.(3)

Presented at Ohio State University and Nationwide Children's Hospital, the researchers found that suicidal adolescent inpatients receiving three or more different classes of psychotropic medications had a 2.6-fold increased risk of being re-admitted within 30 days of discharge.

Cynthia A Fontanella, PhD, the lead researcher, asserted, "Our finding that polypharmacy was associated with an increased risk of readmission is concerning, although not surprising." Even though the serious problems with polypharmacy are known and expected, polypharmacy is growing in mental health care, not decreasing.

Other researchers discovered a disturbing trend among the over 13,000 visits of outpatients with mental disorder diagnoses: the number of psychotropic medications prescribed increased in successive years. Visits in which two or more medications were prescribed increased from 42.6 percent in 1996-1997 to 59.8 percent in 2005-2006, and those in which at least 3 medications were prescribed virtually doubled from 16.9 percent to 33.2 percent.(4)

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