The late American author, Henry David Thoreau has rightly and very famously quoted that “the eye is the jewel of the body”. Our eye sight is our most treasured sensory capability and yet the eye remains the most uncared for sensory organ. The fact that almost 50% of the world’s population is in need of some kind of eye corrective treatment like surgery, lenses, glasses, etc. only accentuates this point.

The human eye is basically made up of three layers. The outermost layer consists of the cornea and the sclera. The middle layer is composed of the iris, the choroid and the ciliary body while the innermost layer is made up of the retina. Eye disorders can be related to any of these layers. The scleritis, for example, is the painful inflammation of the sclera; keratisis is the inflammation of the cornea while iritis, as the name suggests, is its counterpart in the iris. A very common eye disorder observed in aging men and women is the cataract. Cataract occurs when the lens of the eye turns opaque.

Nowadays, cataract can be easily treated with a laser surgery which besides being a bloodless surgery is also affordable and quick. Eye irritation is another eye problem experienced by people of all ages. It can be easily precluded if one is aware of the common eye irritants. Mostly personal causes like the use of make-up, lenses and certain medication are the cause of irritation in the eye. Other common disorders of the eye are lazy eye, color blindness, blind eye, night blindness and complete blindness.

In the present era, visual aid is cheaply and easily available. However, regular use of visual aid like glasses only deteriorates our vision instead of improving it. This also explains the reason behind people with glasses changing their number frequently. Certain simple eye care tips, if followed, can work wonders and prevent the need of any corrective treatment. Washing one’s eyes regularly is one such measure. A proper diet which includes carrots, spinach, papaya, mangoes and other fruits & vegetables rich in carotene can provide enough protection for the eye. It is a well known fact that drinking water in large quantities prevents puffiness around the eyes. Besides, drinking water has various other advantages like healthy skin and a healthy stomach. Other methods of protecting one’s eyes from damage include, wearing sun-glasses, avoiding excessive rubbing and performing eye exercises.