Ayurvedic Treatment for Dry Eyes

Dry eyes is a usual but very challenging disease that may disturb your regular life. Apart from modern medicine, Ayurveda offers an effective and permanent treatment for this problem. The course of treatment includes multiple natural therapies, herbal concoctions, and some lifestyle modifications. It is a holistic approach that has been accepted and appreciated by thousands across the world.

What are Dry Eyes?

Simply put, dry eye is a condition resulting from a lack of moisture inside the eyes. The condition results from reduced secretion of tears or degraded quality of tears. The composition of tears gets affected by the disturbed ratio of salt and water in the tears. Sometimes, the blockade of the meibomian gland also leads to this problem.  

Causes of Dry Eyes

Doctors define a number of reasons responsible for this condition: 

• Ageing
• The increased stress of work and anxiety
• Lack of sleep
• Prolonged exposure to dusty climate
• Too much exposure to air-conditioned or heated environments.
• Long use of contact lenses without gap
• Eye allergies
• Mental stress and pressures
• Exposure to harmful chemicals
• The habit of smoking after cataract or LASIK surgery

Apart from these reasons, doctors also state that dry eyes result from metabolic disorders, allergic reactions, and several autoimmune diseases. Syndromes like the Sjogren syndrome and the Steven Johnson syndrome also result in dry eyes. 

Symptoms of Dry Eyes Disease

The major symptoms related to dry eyes include high sensitivity to light, blurry vision, constant headaches, redness, pain, watering, and a foreign body sensation.

Complications and Risk Factors Related To Dry Eyes

When overlooked for long, dry eyes reach a chronic stage. It is recommended to seek treatment before that stage. There are a number of complications that may result from dry eyes, like: 

1. Corneal Ulcer: The cornea happens to be an external protective layer of the eyes. This layer is transparent and moist due to its connection with the tear duct located at the end of the eyes. When the tear ducts stop releasing enough moisture for the cornea, it gets torn from different points leading to the formation of ulcers.
2. Conjunctivitis: Unattended dry eyes may also result in inflammation and irritation in the conjunctiva, a transparent layer protecting the white part of the eyes. This leads to redness, tearing, swelling, irritation, and constant itching in the eyes, together they formulate a condition called conjunctivitis.
3. Problems in writing, reading, and keeping eyes open.
4. Anxiety, stress, and depression sometimes.

Diagnosis & Ayurvedic Treatment for Dry Eyes

Ayurvedic texts describe dry eyes as Abhishyanda or Akshipaka. The symptoms described for these diseases are very close to the ones observed for dry eyes at present. Ayurveda states that this disease is a result of the vitiation of all three basic doshas: Vata, Pitta, and Kapha. Therefore, the treatment for dry eyes focused on restoring the lost balance of doshas. Ayurvedic medication, lifestyle modifications, and Panchakarma therapies are some of the modalities used to provide relief from dry eyes.

Optimum use of ghee and hydrating food items is suggested to get relief from dry eyes symptoms. The normal cases of dry eyes can be treated within 2-3 weeks while the chronic cases need 6 months of medication along with a month of therapies. Only the most advanced level cases have no cure in Ayurveda, rest all kind of cases can be naturally and effectively treated under Ayurveda.

Dry Eyes Diet & Lifestyle

Dry eyes patients need to modify there lifestyle and diet as soon as the diagnosis of disease is complete. It is essential for them to avoid high intake of junk food, irregular sleeping schedules, hard drinks, cold drinks, and all kind of stressful activities. They must also refrain from long exposure to TV, computer, and mobile screens.

Preventions for Dry Eyes

The simplest prevention of dry eyes lies in taking good care of your eyes. Most cases of dry eyes are caused by the present mania for mobiles, computers, and television. If you are a professional that needs to work on computers for hours, then you must ensure to take proper breaks in between. It is also advised to pay proper attention to your diet that has plenty of fruits, vegetables, and hydrating items in it. Also, if you are living in an area with high dust and allergens, it is better to use protective glasses and keep your eyes safe from prolonged exposure to any such surrounding.