5 Questions

This may be allegeric conjunctivitis. It is possible that the allergens that affect you increase during monsoons. You should consult a doctor for further help.

• Every monsoon my eyes start burning and become red. Washing with cold water provides some relief. The problem started since I was young. Now I am 65. What is the remedy?
C Parthasarathi

This may be allegeric conjunctivitis. It is possible that the allergens that affect you increase during monsoons. You should consult a doctor for further help. Anti-allergic eye drops meanwhile can be tried, which will relieve the symptoms.

• During monsoons which procedure among Cold Phaco, Phaco and Non-Phaco is most suitable for cataract surgery?
Nirankar Sharma

Phaco is a suture-less surgery and requires small incision. This decreases the chances of complications and is recommended by the surgeons.

• I am 65 years old. Frequently I face the problem of dryness of eyes, for which I need to use a lubricant. Please tell me the reason for this dryness and if there is a permanent cure.
Simarjeet Singh

In many cases, the dysfunction of meibomian gland can be the reason. It could also be that your eyes are hyposecretive, which means there is a decreased production of tears. Another reason could be a deficiency of Vitamin A. For each case, the treatment is different. So it is better to consult a physician.

• Can stem cells derived from umbilical cord blood of an unrelated person be used for treating cornea deformity?
Seema Jain

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Stem cells are an upcoming modality in the treatment of various genetic ocular disorders. They do provide some hope for millions of irreversibly blind people. But at present this process is still in the developmental stage. Trials are being conducted around the world before any definitive conclusion can be drawn about their real benefit, if any.

• Many clinics claim to correct eye vision by using laser techniques. What is the truth behind these claims?
Priyanshu Gupta

Laser surgery does have potential, but caution needs to be exercised by doctors. Careful patient selection and counselling and guiding the patient with realistic expectations are the needs of the hour. Laser vision correction attempts to increase uncorrected vision by permanently altering corneal architecture. So extreme caution needs to be exercised before undertaking any such procedures. The various techniques available today include PRK, LASIK, LASEK and femtosecond LASIK.