Weakening of eyesight is a common problem these days due to modernization and technological innovations. There can be several reasons for partial or permanent loss of eyesight. Here we will know how to improve eyesight naturally at home.

The primary reasons for weak eyesight are our diet and lifestyle. We are glued to electronic gadgets such as televisions, laptops, I pads, and mobile phones, etc. The rays emitting out of these devices are harmful. These have a very negative impact on our eyes.

We have all heard that nature is a healer. It has solution for every problem, so is the case with the weak eyesight. There are several home remedies which helps in improving your eyesight. These reduces your rounds to the doctor.

Symptoms of Low Vision

There are several alarming factors. These could signal you of a deteriorating vision. These factors are listed below:-

• Severe, sudden, and recurrent pain in or around the eyes.
• Hazy, blurred, or double vision.
• Rainbow or halo, appearing around the lights.
• Unusual pain or sensitivity to light.
• Swollen, red and itchy eyes.
• Change in the iris color.
• White areas in or around the pupil of the eye.
• Burning, watery eyes, or excessive eye discharge.

Major Causes of Weak Eyesight

• Unhealthy lifestyle such as not taking enough sleep, stress, no physical activity, and exertion contributes to low vision.
•  Age factor is one of the major reasons of low vision/ eyesight.
• Diseases such as Age-related Macular Degeneration (AMD), Diabetes, Glaucoma can cause weak eyesight.
• Cataract can also cause weak vision.
• Low vision is also genetically inherited in certain cases.
• Deficiency of Vitamins & minerals.
• Other causes of low vision are health conditions such as bacterial infection, corneal scars, and eye tumor.
• Some other causes such as Ischemic optic neuropathy, onchocerciasis, Stargardt disease, toxins, trauma also cause weak eyesight.
• Viral infections of the Eye are also responsible for weak eyesight.

Is it Possible to Improve Eyesight?

Most widely asked questions are:

If it’s possible to improve eyesight without glasses,

OR

How to improve eyesight naturally at home with food items.

The answer to this is YES. It is quite possible to partially improve your eyesight. if not fully because the solution lies in the problem.

Since unhealthy lifestyle is one of the major reasons of weakening of the eyesight. So, it could be rectified by the intake of a well-balanced diet.

Proper Eye-care and Daily Routine

All of us search for an answer to how to improve eyesight naturally at home. Activities such as proper eye-care and daily routine have improved the eyesight in many cases. The eyesight gets weak due to the negligence of people. These include habits such as not taking care of their diet. There are certain ingredients that helps in improving your vision. We will study these in the next section.

Food Items for Improving Eyesight

Antioxidants

Vitamins A, C, E, and mineral zinc contain antioxidants. These are great to cure eye problems. Following food-items are good for eyes-

• Carrot
• Red pepper
• Spinach
• Strawberry
• Broccoli
• Sweet potato
• Citrus fruits

Omega-3 Fatty Acids

Foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids rich food is also a good supplement for repairing eyesight. Rich sources of omega-3 fatty acids i.e., Salmon and flaxseed ensures better eye health.

Zeaxanthin and lutein

A few other nutrients are also essential for improving eyesight. The two important carotenoids i.e., Zeaxanthin and lutein are essential. These are found in the retina. These are found in leafy green vegetables. Zeaxanthin and lutein are found in zucchini, and eggs.

Lifestyle Changes for Vision Improvement

The perfect phrase for those who are accustomed to unhealthy and ill habits such as smoking or drinking alcohol is “Change your lifestyle, improve your vision”. Some of the changes that can improve your eyesight are:-

• Sleep for at least 6-8 hours.
• Exercising regularly is a must.
• Always protect your eyes from the sun because these are harmful for eyes.
• Wear eye protection gear. If you are doing something that could potentially lead to an eye injury. Activities such as tennis, baseball, etc., can cause severe damage to the eyes.
• Take break from screen time because the harmful rays leads to poor eyesight.
• Do NOT smoke.
• Practice good hygiene. Always wash your eyes with water.
• Never rub your eyes too much or touch them with dirty hands.

Jaundice, also known as Icterus, is a disease wherein the skin and white part of the eyes turn yellow. When jaundice occurs, the liver weakens, and in severe conditions, it stops working. 

The non-treatment of jaundice or delayed treatment can also result in permanent damage to the liver. Therefore, early screening and treatment of jaundice are important. Icterus does not pertain to any specific age. It can happen to anyone from new born to old age. However, new-born are at higher risk. 

What is Jaundice?

The RBCs (Red Blood Cells) in the body break down within a fixed interval i.e., 120 days creates a by-product called bilirubin. The white part of the eyes, skin, and nails turn yellow, due to increased bilirubin levels in the body. This condition is known as jaundice. This substance first reaches the liver and then exits from the body along with faces and urine. 

When the RBCs start to break down before 120 days, the amount of bilirubin in the liver starts increasing. This affects the liver and also weakens the ability of the liver to function. Gradually bilirubin spreads throughout the body, which causes Jaundice.

There are three main types of Icterus:

• Hepatocellular Jaundice, which occurs as a result of liver disease or injury.
• Haemolytic Jaundice occurs as a result of haemolysis, or an accelerated and frequent breakdown of RBCs. This leads to an increase in the production of bilirubin.
• Obstructive Icterus results from an obstruction in the bile duct. This prevents bilirubin from leaving the liver.

Causes of Jaundice

Apart from increasing bilirubin levels, jaundice can also occur due to the following reasons-

• Hepatitis virus infection
• When suffering from Thalassemia (slowing down of the blood in the body)
• Pancreatic cancer
• Liver injury
• Bile duct closure
• Excessive consumption of alcohol
• Consuming extra spicy foods
• Consumption of contaminated food
• Suffering from malaria disease
• Excess salt intake

Symptoms of Jaundice

The symptoms of Icterus are-

• Rapid yellowing of the skin, nails as well as the white part of the eye
• Dark yellow and thick urine, pale stools
• Constantly feeling of tiredness
• Long-term fever, vomiting
• Itching
• Excessive weight loss
• It also shows symptoms of liver diseases like loss of appetite, stomach pain, and nausea

Diagnosis

A blood test is the only way to determine the amount of bilirubin in the body. It also detects other diseases such as hepatitis. The severity of icterus is generally diagnosed in New-born babies with a blood test. The obtained results would indicate the level as moderate or severe.

For the diagnosis of Icterus, some other diagnostic tests may be used. These are as follows-

• Liver Function Test-This includes a series of blood tests that measure levels of certain proteins and enzymes produced by the liver. These tests determine if the liver is healthy or damaged.
• Complete Blood Count (CBC)-CBC is done to trace the evidence of haemolytic anaemia.
• Imaging Study-This includes abdominal ultrasounds (Image generation of internal organs using high-frequency sound waves) or CT scans.
• Liver Biopsy-which involves removing small samples of liver tissue for testing and microscopic examination.

Home remedies to treat jaundice

Icterus is treated with sugarcane juice-

Sugarcane juice is very effective in treating jaundice. It fulfils the deficiency of protein and other nutrients in the body. This helps the patient recover from jaundice quickly. 

Icterus is cured within a week by consuming sugarcane juice with sattu. Just drinking sugarcane juice three to four times a day is also beneficial in treating jaundice.

Icterus treated with Papaya

Beta-carotene (organic compounds) found in ripe papaya produces vitamin ‘A’ in the body. It also contains nutrients like vitamin ‘C’, phosphorus, calcium, carbohydrate, iron, protein, citric acid, as well as tartaric. 

Eating ripe papaya is also beneficial for providing relief in the symptoms of Icterus. Apart from this, consuming curry of raw papaya without spices is also beneficial in curing Icterus.

Curd is great cure for Jaundice

Yogurt prevents bacterial infection in jaundice. It is also beneficial in reducing the symptoms of jaundice. Icterus patients should include yogurt in their diet.

Turmeric

Turmeric is also a great remedy for curing Icterus. It helps in the removal of toxins present in the body. Anyone suffering from icterus can mix one teaspoon of turmeric in half a glass of water and drink it thrice a day to increase the recovery process. Turmeric works by excluding the bilirubin from the body.

Buttermilk

Buttermilk contains essential enzymes like protein, minimum lipids (fat), vitamins, and carbohydrates are beneficial for curing Icterus. Drinking a glass of buttermilk with a pinch of rock salt twice a day helps in curing Icterus.

Treatment of Jaundice

The treatment of Icterus depends on the cause of the illness. The treatment is targeted at the cause rather than the symptoms. The treatments for Icterus are:

• Anaemia-induced jaundice involves treatment by increasing the amount of iron in the blood. Iron supplements as well as iron-rich foods are great for this.
• Hepatitis-induced Icterus requires steroid medications as well as antivirals.
• Obstruction-induced jaundice involves treatment by surgically removing the obstruction that caused Icterus.
• Icterus is also caused by the use of medication, involves treatment by changing the medication.

When to See a Doctor?

If they notice any of the following symptoms, you should immediately consult a doctor-

• Urine turning dark yellow.
• Yellowing of eyes and skin.
• Feeling excess tiredness.
• Unintentional weight loss.
• Loss of appetite.
• Severe abdominal pain.
• Severe itching.