This is a medical term which is used to describe the condition in which a person has a blurred or distorted vision of near and distant objects. It is a type of eye disorder which can make the object’s image blurred. This is one of the most common reasons why people need to go on frequent checkups for their eyes. It is still not known the cause for astigmatism. Doctors say that it can be present at birth.
It happens due to the improper shape of the cornea. A person, who does not have any eye problem, has a cornea in round shape, but when it is turning into oval then it can lead to astigmatism. The abnormal shape of the cornea is making the light to focus on more than a single point in the eyes and this is resulting in distorted vision of any near and distant objects they see. This
When the astigmatism gets worse, then it can be a sign of keratoconus. Astigmatism is usually found in childhood and it stays stable or even increase when they get older. The symptoms of astigmatism are usually similar to those of nearsightedness and farsightedness and they include mild or even severe headache; blurred vision and strain on eyes. You need to talk with your doctor if you suffer from astigmatism before you start using some of the below mentioned home remedies for this condition.
Home remedies for astigmatism
Eye exercise: It is known fact that people who spend too much time on TV or computer and who do not participate in any physical activities, tend to have increased risk of developing astigmatism. This is a reason why exercises are much needed. Many people do not believe that eye muscle need to be trained to help remain good vision. Doctors are recommending eye exercises because they can help to cure astigmatism without carrying out any surgery. When you are exercising, then the symptoms of astigmatism can be reduced. It takes time to perform exercises and you should be patient. You should not give up if you want to rid of the astigmatism and boost your eye vision. Sometimes it can be frustrating because takes lot of time to see improvements, but the results are surely satisfactory. [1]
Vitamin E: This vitamin is playing an important role in promoting eye health because it has powerful antioxidant properties which can help to prevent you from any eye problem. This vitamin is beneficial for reducing the inflammation and other elements which are triggering obscured vision. The recommended dosage of this vitamin depends on your height and weight, as well as your age. Those children who are 14 or older and adults should take 15 mg. Breastfeeding mothers need to take 19 mg of Vitamin E. If you are smoker, then you should take more Vitamin E than normal people who do not smoke. Some of the best sources of Vitamin E are sunflower seeds and nuts. Also, there are other foods rich in Vitamin E which you can add in your diet, such as peanuts, avocado, cereal, spinach and almonds. [2]
Vitamin C: We know that the free radicals are one of the most common causes for bad vision. It is very important to replenish ourselves with enough nutrients because it will help us to fight against eye – related problems. Vitamin C is one of the best home remedy for these problems because it acts as antioxidant. It is suggested that you should take from 75 – 90 mg of Vitamin C. You can consume Vitamin C from many foods and vegetables. If you do not consume this vitamin enough from fruits and vegetables, then you should take it as supplement. [3]
Milk thistle: One of the best home remedies for astigmatism is the seeds of milk thistle. This home remedy has a positive impact on the function of the liver due to the substance called silymarin. This substance will make the liver enable to store Vitamin B and glutathione which are shown to be active in promoting the strength of the eye muscle.
Triphala: This home remedy is one of the most incredible home remedies for astigmatism due to its package of essential nutrients. It is known that triphala can benefit the eye health, including curing some eye problems, fostering the muscles and ensuring healthy retina and tissues. You should follow this home remedy on proper way so it will bring you a quick relief. You should mix some triphala powder with some water and put it in a glass. You should let this home remedy to stay there through the night. The next morning, you should strain this home remedy and use it as eye wash. You should consume the rest amount of this home remedy every morning on an empty stomach. You should repeat this natural treatment in a period of few months to get better results. [4]
Wolfberry: Wolfberry is grown in China. It has bright orange – red color. It has shown effectiveness in the natural treatment of some common health problems due to its huge medicinal properties. This natural cure has high amounts of compounds which can aid in boosting the vision and they can banish the macular degeneration that is caused by aging and some other health problems. This home remedy is effective for promoting the immune system and it can help to strengthen the liver and kidneys efficiently. You should consume this home remedy in a powdered form or make tea from powder because in this way you can treat the astigmatism. You should take this home remedy on a regular basis because it will give you positive results. [5]
Bilberry: This home remedy has Vitamin A and Vitamin C and also it has components called anthocyanosides and all of them can help to deal with the inflammation and promote the eye blood vessels. When you are using bilberry as your home remedy for astigmatism, then it can help to treat the eye fatigue and it will make sure that damaged cells in the eyes are repaired. This can help to improve your vision. You can eat bilberry in fresh or dried form. It is believed that this home remedy has positive impacts on restoring the eye condition. [6]
Egg yolk: This is one of the best home remedies for astigmatism and also it can help to improve the eye vision. This is possible because it is rich in carotenoids which can also act as anti – oxidants. It is known that carotenoids are heat – sensitive and they can be easily destroyed when they are cooked. You can consume boiled or poached eggs. When you eat raw eggs, then they will provide you with great amounts of essential nutrients. You should prepare some eggs and separate them from the yolks. You should place the yolks in a bowl and add it in a cup of mill. You should consume this home remedy two times on daily basis. This home remedy will help you to strengthen the nerves and muscles in your eyes and it will improve your vision.
Spinach: This is one of the healthiest vegetables due to its health benefits. It is rich in nutrients and antioxidants which can help in the natural treatment of astigmatism. Also, it is rich in calcium, potassium, Vitamin A and iron. Spinach has beta – carotene which can help to maintain healthy eyes and clear vision. You can steam a glass of raw spinach leaves and consume it two times per day.
Cacao: This is one of the best home remedies for astigmatism due to its antioxidant activities. These substances can fight against free radicals and it will destruct them effectively [7]. Also, antioxidants will help the eyes to stay healthy and they will promote the vision. You should grab a teaspoon of cacao powder. You should mix it with a teaspoon of raw honey. You should consume this home remedy once or twice per day.
Gingko biloba: This is very useful home remedy for astigmatism. It is known that it has the ability to cure blood disorders, as well as person’s memory abilities. It has antioxidant properties which can help in the natural treatment of some eye conditions. When gingko biloba is mixed with beleric, amla and myrobalan, then this home remedy results in good effects for promoting eye vision. You should prepare a tea made from this herb and consume it on daily basis. [8]
Green tea: This home remedy can help in the fight against free radicals in the body. This tea can help in the treatment of eye problems, including astigmatism. It has anti – oxidant properties which can help to repair the damaged tissues and cells in the body and it can help to have proper health of blood vessels. There are some studies in which are said that people who suffer from astigmatism should drink at least three cups of green tea on daily basis. You should mix a teaspoon of dried green leaves with some hot water. You should let this home remedy to stay there for ten minutes. Then, you need to strain it and add a teaspoon of honey. You should consume this tea up to three times per day to get better results. After you have finished with the tea bags, then you can use them as eye marks because they can help you to relax your muscles. [9]
References:
[1] Joshi H, Retharekar S. The effect of eye exercises on visual acuity and refractive error of myopics. International Journal of Therapies and Rehabilitation Research. 2017;6(3):249.
[2] Vetrugno M, Maino A, Cardia G, et al. A randomised, double masked, clinical trial of high dose vitamin A and vitamin E supplementation after photorefractive keratectomy. British Journal of Ophthalmology. 2001;85(5):537-9.
[3] Mohan S, Sah K, Khattri M, et al. Role of oral Vitamin ‘C’ on astigmatic errors in phacoemulsification. Current Eye Research. 2020.
[4] Gopinathan G, Dhiman KS. Triphala in eye diseases: A critical review. Journal of Traditional Medicine & Clinical Naturopathy. 2013;2:123.
[5] Kansas State University. Chinese wolfberries may improve vision imperfections caused by type-2 diabetes. Science Daily. 2010.
[6] Omar IAN. Effect of bilberry extract on slowing high-myopia progression in children: 2-year follow-up study. Clinical Ophthalmology. 2018;12:2575–9.
[7] Katz DL, Doughty K, Ali A. Cocoa and chocolate in human health and disease. Antioxidants & Redox Signaling. 2011;15(10):2779–811.
[8] Cybulska-Heinrich AK, Mozaffarieh M, Flammer J. Ginkgo biloba: An adjuvant therapy for progressive normal and high tension glaucoma. Molecular Vision. 2012;18:390–402.
[9] American Chemical Society. New evidence that green tea may help fight glaucoma and other eye diseases. Science Daily. 2010.
