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Time of India
5 days ago
- Health
- Time of India
Woman loses vision owing to cancer medication, regains after surgery
1 2 Pune: A 65-year-old woman reported sudden vision loss in both her eyes as the primary artery supplying blood to the retina was blocked. Proper evaluation revealed that vision loss occurred due to an extremely rare side effect of breast cancer medication. The condition was diagnosed as central retinal artery occlusion (CRAO), a serious and rare complication where the main artery, responsible for supplying blood to the retina, gets blocked NIO Super Specialty Hospital director Aditya Kelkar, who performed the surgery, said, "On June 5, the blockage caused sudden and painless vision loss in both her eyes. Two days later, when the patient came to us, we performed an emergency procedure paracentesis, which is done involving fluid drainage, which helped in dislodging the clot and restoring the retina's blood supply. Post the surgery and followups from the hospital, the patient was able to regain her full vision within two weeks. " You Can Also Check: Pune AQI | Weather in Pune | Bank Holidays in Pune | Public Holidays in Pune Rabia Naaz, one of the doctors involved in the patient's treatment, said, "CRAO is considered a medical emergency due to immediate threat it causes to the patient's vision. It is quite like a stroke and can be caused due to blood clots, cholesterol embolism or vascular diseases. It is also one of the rarest conditions, usually occurring in 1 out of every 100,000 people annually. This case becomes even more unique as it is a rare occurrence for a patient undergoing breast cancer treatment. Her age also played a role while we considered her treatment options." Dr Sabyasachi Sengupta, who was also part of the team of treating doctors, said, "Post the surgery and followups from the hospital, the patient was able to regain almost full vision within two weeks." "CRAO is a serious complication where the main artery, responsible for supplying blood to the retina, gets blocked. The retina, essential for capturing visual information, needs constant blood flow to function properly. In case of any disruption, it can lead to permanent vision damage if not treated properly," Dr Harsh Jain, one of the doctors involved in the treatment, said. Dr. Tanya Sagar was also part of the team. Cautioning patients with comorbidities, Dr Akshay Kothari said, "Patients with risk factors like blood pressure, diabetes, heart ailments should have regular eye checkups. They should regularly check their lipids and Vitamin B12 levels as per physicians' recommendation. If they notice sudden painless loss of vision, they should visit the eye department as soon as possible. Paracentesis treatment works in some cases, but not always and works specifically only if the patient has medical intervention at an early stage."
Time of India
24-05-2025
- Health
- Time of India
Survey finds students, retired professionals & homemakers among those suffering from dry eye symptoms
Pune: A survey conducted by an eye institute on 3,000 of its patients over six months found close to 37% of them suffering from dry eye symptoms caused by prolonged exposure to digital screens. They were mainly students, retired professionals and homemakers, who remain glued to screens for about 3-4 hours daily. The survey was conducted by Pune-based National Institute of Optahlmology (NIO) between Nov 2024 and April 2025. The survey found that most dry eye cases were linked to screen exposure, commonly known as computer vision syndrome (CVS). A significant number of patients presenting with dry eye symptoms were regularly exposed to prolonged screen time averaging from 6.3 hours to 8.3 hours per day. 46% of patients that reported the symptoms were IT professionals aged 25-56, followed by students (19%) and office employees (11%) aged 26 to 45 yrs. The survey also revealed that 10% of patients were homemakers aged 35 to 70 years and 8% were retired individuals aged 68 to 75 years. Patients of this age group clocked in a screen time averaging up to 4.6 hours per day. Dr. Aditya Kelkar, director, NIO Super Specialty Hospital that conducted the survey, said, "These numbers reflect the undeniable strain digital devices place on our eyes. Dry eye is no longer just a condition seen in older adults alone. We are increasingly seeing younger individuals, especially those working in technology sectors, suffering from this problem. More than 40-50 patients visit the hospital daily for dry eye symptoms related to CVS. " Prolonged exposure to digital screens also lead to other complicated problems, ophthalmologists said. Dr. Naina Chaturvedi, consultant, department of ophthalmology, Dr. D.Y. Patil Medical College, Hospital and Research Centre, Pimpri said, "In today's digital age, prolonged exposure to screens has become an unavoidable part of daily life. Whether it's professionals spending hours on computers or homemakers engaging with smartphones for entertainment or communication, the result is a growing prevalence of CVS. It is characterized by symptoms such as eye strain, eyeache, and tired eyes. Individuals also complain of burning, dryness, redness, gritty sensation, watering and irritation. These issues stem from poor lighting, screen glare, and improper viewing distances. Other symptoms include shoulder pain, neck stiffness, headache, backache, sleep disturbances and neuro-psychiatric issues like daytime sleepiness, fatigue and irritability. The symptoms reported in children with prolonged history of screen exposure include reduced attention span, poor academic performance and behavioural problems." Dr Kelkar added that the survey highlighted the urgent need for lifestyle changes and increased public awareness regarding the risk of unregulated screen exposure. He said, "Among all dry eye patients surveyed, 89% required lubricating eye drops, while all were recommended 20-20-20 rule i.e. taking a 20-second break to look at something 20 feet away after every 20 minutes. We have launched an awareness campaign called #BlinkOkPlease. As part of this campaign, the hospital is conducting several activities such as awareness seminars, screen-free zones and awareness walkathons to help patients reduce screen exposure in their daily activities. Get the latest lifestyle updates on Times of India, along with Brother's Day wishes , messages and quotes !
