Question : MY son, who is 10, is short-sighted. The areas around and under his eyes are red and getting darker. Since he was three, he has been getting coughs (with lots of phlegm) and wheezing. Please advise.
Answer : Dark circles under the eyes can be due to a combination of reasons. Hormonal changes, heredity, fatigue and allergies are some of the common factors.
Allergies are often to blame for dark circles. Anything that causes nasal obstruction such as wheezing, coughing, sneezing and a stuffy nose can be the culprit.
Vitamin C and allicin are effective in fighting allergies. Allicin has the potential to assist the immune system in a number of important ways, including stimulating cells, killing pathogens and detoxifying carcinogens. Try these simple steps to solve the problem:
Dip a cotton swab in freshly extracted mint juice, rosewater or cold milk. Lie down with the feet raised higher than the head, and then place the wet pads on your closed eyes. Stay that way for 10 minutes.
Gently massage almond oil with lemon juice on the dark area before going to bed to lighten the dark circles.
Follow a diet rich in iron, vitamins and proteins. Deficiencies immediately show up as circles under the eyes.
As to improving his eyesight, you can incorporate bilberry, eyebright, lyceum and spinach into his diet.
Bilberry extract has been shown to hasten the regeneration of rhodopsin (a light-sensitive pigment found in the rods of the retina) and improve visual acuity in dim light.
Eyebright helps relieve itchy and irritated eyes. Lycium is rich in carotenoids and it helps improve night vision and blurred vision.