Lets understand what is retina and various diseases which can affect retina

What is Retina?

The retina is the innermost layer of the eye, and it features many light-sensitive photoreceptor cells.

These cells detect light and convert it into electrical signals

Retinal tear

A retinal tear happens when there is a tear or hole in the retina. This typically occurs when the vitreous,

which is a jelly-like substance in the eye, attaches to the retina and pulls hard enough to tear it. This can

happen when the vitreous detaches as part of the aging process, or it can result from trauma.

Retinal tears can cause blurry vision, the sudden onset of floaters, or flashes of light.

It is important for people to receive treatment for a retinal tear, as it may result in retinal detachment.

This is a more serious condition that affects vision.

Retinal detachment

Retinal detachment occurs when a buildup of fluid, which usually enters through a retinal tear, causes

the retina to detach from the choroid, which is the eye layer that provides it with oxygen and nutrients.

Retinal detachment is a medical emergency that, without treatment, may lead to permanent vision loss.

Retinopathy

Retinopathy results from damage to the blood vessels at the back of the eye, which causes fluid to leak. This accumulation of fluid can affect the retina and result in changes to vision. Conditions that can cause retinopathy include diabetes, high blood pressure, anemia etc

Diabetic retinopathy i.e diabetic eye disease is a common complication of diabetes, with evidence suggesting that it is a leading cause of blindness among adults in the India

Epiretinal membranes

Epiretinal membranes (ERMs), also called macular puckers or cellophane maculopathy, make up a thin layer that forms on the retina’s inner surface. It is usually scar tissue from a medical condition or injury. ERMs often do not cause symptoms, except when they affect the macula or the center of the retina, which is important in perceiving visual details and features. A person may notice distortion of their central vision.

Macular hole

Similar to retinal tears, macular holes are small breaks in the macula that occur due to an unusual pulling between the vitreous and the retina. Aging is the most common cause of macular holes. Eye injuries may also result in macular holes.

Macular degeneration

Because macular degeneration is more common among older adults, eye doctors usually call it age-related macular degeneration (AMD). With this condition, the macula deteriorates and causes distorted central vision, which may worsen over time and cause permanent vision loss. It is a common cause of loss of vision in elderly

Retinitis

Retinitis refers to the inflammation of the retina. It usually results from viruses and bacteria. For example, Lyme disease, syphilis, and Dengue fever may cause retinitis. Autoimmune conditions, such as  Behçet’s disease  and lupus, may also cause this condition.

Retinitis pigmentosa

Retinitis pigmentosa is a rare genetic degenerative condition that causes a breakdown and loss of cells in the retina. This can cause a progressive loss of vision.

Macular edema

Macular edema is a condition that occurs due to fluids building up in the macula, causing it to swell. Several conditions can cause macular edema, including AMD, diabetes, and retinal vein occlusion.

Retinal vein occlusion

Retinal vein occlusion, or eye stroke, is a blood vessel disorder wherein branches of the retinal vein become occluded, causing fluid and blood to spill onto the retina. The blockage cuts off circulation, which can cause nerve cells to die, leading to vision loss.

Diagnosis

To examine and diagnose eye conditions such as retinal disorders, ophthalmologists will typically first ask about the person’s medical history. This allows them to look for factors that may affect their vision, such as underlying conditions. They will then perform a comprehensive eye exam with a particular focus on the retina and the macula. They will use a special instrument called an ophthalmoscope to investigate the inside of the eye.

The ophthalmologist may use eye drops to widen (dilate) the pupil to see the inner eye better. They may also request an eye ultrasound and give numbing eye drops to prevent discomfort as they scan the eye. Ophthalmologists may also take images of the retina using optical coherence tomography (OCT). They may also request dye tests such as fluorescein angiography to look for leakage in the blood vessels.

Treatment

The goals of treatment will be to preserve and restore vision or to prevent and slow down the damage in the retina.

Treatment for retinal disorders varies depending on the type and extent of the condition. Options may range from medications and vitamins to injections, surgery, and laser treatments.

An individual’s eye specialist will discuss the most suitable treatment options for their condition.

HOLISTIC APPROACH TO HEALTH

It consists for 3 aspects. The approach can be adopted and customized to some extent.

 The 3 aspects are

1. Diet planning to reach achieve optimal health (Meal Plan)

2. Exercise (Nitirc Oxide dump)

3. Mind relaxation techniques (Gratitude and forgiveness therapy)

The 3 aspects have been simplified to make its implementation easy.

Meal Plan

1.Green Smoothie twice daily (250ml)

Key ingredients are green leafy vegetables and flax seed powder

Fill 50-60% of blender with Coriander+ mint+ spinach/spring onion leaves;Then add 2 tea spoons of flax seed powder. You can add a fruit for flavor eg. for diabetics-Apple/pear; non diabetics: banana. Then add a spoon of herbs(mix turmeric, cinnamon& black pepper in equal proportions and keep it in a bottle)

For those with renal stone history/ kidney disease avoid spinach, beet root and turmeric. Don’t strain the smoothie.

2.Grounded flax seeds (flax seeds powder)

10gm i.e 2 tea spoons twice daily. Grind it in a blender and store it in refrigerator. Use it in a week’s time after grinding.

3.Fruits

At least 3 to 4 daily; For diabetics-apple, pear, guava, plums, strawberry, cherry and dragon fruit; For non-diabetics any fruit is fine

4. Salad

At least ½ to 1 kg of salad everyday. Its easier to achieve the target of ½ to 1kg salad everyday if you start each meal with salads. Most important constituent is green cruciferous vegetables such as cabbage, cauliflower, lettuce, broccoli and kale. Other vegetables such as carrots, onions, cucumber and tomatoes should also be used. Always add sesame seeds, grounded flax seeds or 4-5 soaked almonds or walnuts to the salad

5.Legumes (Dal)

4to 5 bowls daily. Any legume/lentil is fine. Even sprouts in salads will considered as legume intake. If making a dal, follow no ghee and minimum oil policy.

6.Water

Drinking water is utmost essential for the health to be optimal. Target should be at least 3 litres, best is to reach a gallon (3.75litres). For patients with renal failure/ dysfunction, heart failure or any other ailment in which fluid restriction is recommended, they should consult their respective physician.

Basic meal Plan

1. Start your day with green smoothie. Then can have a salad. Breakfast should have a major dal component (pulses) Eg sprouts salad/chaat, chila, moong dal idli 

2. Lunch and dinner- Always start with bowl of salad (With Green leafy vegetables/cucumber/carrot/ Muli/Tomato/ beetroot). Followed by a bowl of dal and sabzi. Then take Roti or brown rice. Try avoiding wheat for 6 weeks.

3. For evening snacks try soaked nuts and some salads accompanied by green smoothie.

4. Certain other guidelines to follow

 Best is to have 50% quantity of raw food and 50% cooked food in a meal

 Prefer whole grain. Replace white rice with brown rice. Rotate your grains instead of having multigrain

 Plan early dinner (Before 7pm is ideal.)

Best to Avoid

1.All types of bakery, farsan and namkeen etc along with Junk and fast food (no processed food is good for health)

2.Dairy: animal milk and milk products (dahi, chaas, paneer, cheese, ghee, butter), Can instead use soya/almond/rice milk and their products

3.Non vegetarian: any kind of meat eg. Pork, beef, mutton, chicken, fish and eggs

Caution:

For Diabetics the blood sugars can fall dramatically on this diet. For hypertensives blood pressure can fall dramatically. Hence any symptoms of hypoglycaemia and hypotension should be reported to the physician. For patients with history of kidney stones/ renal dysfunction- (avoid spinach, chad, beets, excess nuts like almonds, excess salt). The above suggestions are for a healthy life. We recommend Vitamin b12 and Vitamin D3 supplementation under supervision of a physician

Exercise

1.To be done thrice daily one and half hours after meals. It consists of 4 movements and 10 repetitions are to be done. It helps to reduce blood pressure and blood sugars

2. Nitric Oxide Dump exercise demonstrations videos are available on YouTube.

Mind relaxation techniques

I would like to thank Mr.Manojji Lekhi for the above techniques. His Design your life series have immensely benefitted me. I am sharing two of the techniques which I have learnt from him.

Gratitude Therapy

It’s divided into 2 aspects

A.Prepaid gratitude 

In this we thank the almighty, Guru or universe in advance. We imagine/visualise and create our day in the way whatever we want to be, do or have. We do the prepaid gratitude first thing in the morning when we get up. We visualise an ideal and perfect day in positive present tense as if the event has just occurred.

Eg 1. We tell ourselves and visualise the presentation in the office went well. It is being well received by all. I am getting lot of appreciation for it.

2.The business deal is being signed; I and my client both are getting benefitted by it.

3.I made delicious and healthy food for my family and everyone is enjoying it.

B.Postpaid Gratitude

In this we thank the almighty, Guru or universe at the end of the day before we go to sleep.

We thank them for at least 10 wow moments which happened during the day. We can even thank for the moments which didn’t go the way we wanted. Those unpleasant moments taught us patience, life lessons and gave us a chance to improve professionally as well as personally.

Eg. 1.Thank you, thank you thank you Guruji for a wonderful day.

2.Thank you my team (take the name of the person) for supporting my work in terms of patient care, client care, office work or work at home etc

3. I thank my wife/ husband for being with me and creating amazing memories.

4.I thank my parents/ siblings/children/ friends for their unconditional love.

5. I thank my company for giving me work and abundance (money)

Forgiveness Therapy (4mantras)

To enhance quality of your life in terms of Health, Wealth & relationships use following 4 mantras. Use the four mantras with context as described below and use it with feelings. I love you, thank you, I am sorry and please forgive me are the four mantras. The above concept believes I am responsible for everything that is happening in my life. When we forgive we can break the negative energy.

Health, wealth, relationship and time are 4 important aspects of our life. Use the above 4 mantras when we complain about any of the above aspects of life.

For eg. Health: If we have pain in the back, we can say I am sorry my back that I didn’t take care of you. I love you as you have taken care of me for so long. Please forgive me and I truly love you.

Wealth: Money I love you as because of you I have got so much comfort. Please forgive me I haven’t valued you. I have always complained about lack of you. Henceforth, I will value what I already have. Thank you for everything. 

Relationship: If we have a disconnect with a person, it means there was a connect. I can love that person or I can hate him. We can say I love you because you showed me that I had anger inside me, I love you for teaching me patience. Thank you. I am sorry for judging you. Please forgive me for taking you for granted. 

Time: I love you time because you have given me opportunity to do so many things. Thank

you for being in abundance. I am sorry as I have complained about lack of you and please

forgive me.

Eyetamins (Eye Vitamins) -The Power of Green Smoothie

 Green smoothie is one of the healthiest drinks known to me. It has 3 simple ingredients green leafy vegetables ( Spinach, coriander, mint, mustards greens ,kale or basil) , flax sees powder and fruit for flavor

For diabetics low glycemic fruits such as apple or pear. For non diabetics any fruit is great. My personal favorites are banana, mango and grapes depending on seasonal availability. 

Apart from above three ingredients we can add cinnamon, black pepper, turmeric and fenugreek. Also amla can help increase the antioxidant content.

When taken in the morning after workout it acts like a herbal infusion and helps to alkalinize the body which is fasting since night. It has got huge amount of anti oxidants and other essential vitamins. Helps in preventing and reversing chronic ailments like diabetes mellitus, hypertension, hypercholesterolemia and cancer.

Watch the below video on YouTube for more info

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5 steps to prevent diabetic retinopathy

Diabetic retinopathy is a complication of diabetes mellitus due to uncontrolled blood sugars
These five steps can help you prevent diabetic retinopathy.
1. First step is to track your blood sugars and glycosylated hemoglobin regularly
This helps us to be aware of our blood sugar and also it helps us to maintain a blood sugars

2. 2nd step is to reach your ideal weight. Reaching your ideal weight helps in multiple ways. It helps you to cut down on diabetic medications and also gain fitness. The ideal way to maintain weight and to reduce access fat in the body is to take low fat vegan diet.

Low fat vegan diet not only helps you to loose weight but can help you with reversing chronic illnesses
I am going to cover more details on low fat vegan diet in my next blog

3.The third step is to add physical activity in your daily routine activities.
Simple ways to add more physical activity in your daily routine activity is as follows  a.Choose the staircase
b.Do the household chores
c. Instead of using a car or a bike you can think of walking towards the nearby grocery store
d.Nitric oxide dump
From this doing nitric oxide dump thrice daily one and a half hours post meal can have a wonderful effect on your blood sugars. Nitric oxide dump is a useful exercise as it helps the major muscle groups i.e the pelvic and the shoulder muscles to utilise to utilise blood sugars without the requirement of insulin. This helps you to reduce the sugar spike after a meal and hence reduces the requirement of Anti diabetic medication.

4. The 4th standard fourth step is very important.  We need to focus on a serum cholesterol and blood pressure these two are sister concerns when it comes to diabetes mellitus.
High blood pressure and the raised serum cholesterol deteriorates and helps in progression of diabetic retinopathy.
Once you lose weight, it also helps you to control your blood pressure and also your serum cholesterol

5. The 5th step to prevent diabetic retinopathy is to kick the smoking.
Smoking helps in faster progression of diabetic retinopathy hence leaving smoking can be a good way to prevent diabetic retinopathy.
Quitting smoking can help you gain good health in multiple ways. Smoking is injurious to not only diabetic patients but also to non diabetic patients at it increases the risk of heart disease multiple cancers and other chronic illnesses