Eye care is one of the most sensitive subjects for people. Not only is your life largely dependent on your eyesight but even the slight loss of it can cause you significant worries and be a cause of major lifestyle changes. While eyes are sensitive, they have mechanisms in place to protect themselves! Your eyelashes are not just meant to sit there and look pretty, but they, along with your eyelids help keep the dirt, dust, and even harmful bright light away from your eyes. We spoke to doctor Dr. Ashwin Santosh Shetty, Consultant Ophthalmology, Aster CMI Hospital to understand what causes your eyesight to weaken and what are some factors of it that we may not know.

While there are many things that can affect your eyes, one of the reasons why you may cause your eyesight to weaken is by rubbing your eyes! Doctors often urge people to keep their hands away from their eyes because it can be harmful, Dr Santosh tells us that rubbing your eyes, even when irritated or itchy is not ideal. Your hands come in contact with numerous surfaces, accumulating dirt and germs. Rubbing transfers these contaminants to the eyes, increasing the risk of allergies and infections. He also goes on to add, “Constant eye rubbing leads to weakening of the cornea, especially in younger people. That is a big risk factor in the cornea becoming weak and developing keratoconus and those kind of problems. So, that is the reason we tell them not to rub their eyes.”

Can Pollution Make Your Eyesight Worse?

Dr. Santosh tells us that it could, but not directly. We all know that pollution affects our body, it doesn’t exactly cause direct issues unless you are allergic to pollution. Pollution introduces harmful substances into the air, water, and food, which impacts various bodily functions, including vision. Air pollution, in particular, can cause allergies and eye irritation, leading to eye rubbing and further complications. Therefore, pollution has an indirect but significant impact on eye health.

As mentioned above, your eye has inbuilt protection models to help itself, like so it has the cleaning system as well, which is tears. Tears keep your eyes moist and wash away dirt, dust, and anything else that gets past your eyelashes and eyelids. They also help fight germs. According to max healthcare, airborne pollutants can cause issues to your tear functioning which keeps your eyes lubricated, it leads to dryness and irritation.

Can Glycerin and Other Eye Drops Be Useful Here?

Many people often opt for over-the-top counter medication like cooling eye drops to keep the functioning going and reduce the itchiness and dryness. But Dr. Santosh suggests it is better to visit a doctor if you are facing such issues. According to him, Glycerine is not recommended for direct use in the eyes. If you experience eye irritation or itchiness, it's crucial to consult an eye doctor. "For high to severe itching, we may even need to use short course steroids. But these glycerine coolants and all are not recommended without prescription. If you have a problem, go to an eye doctor. And depending upon the severity, they will treat you and take the medicines for only as long as recommended. "

What Can You Do To Protect Your Eyes?

More young people are wearing glasses these days, but it's not because of anything new. According to Dr. Santosh, this is simply a result of more people focusing on studies. Eyesight problems are also common, especially as people age. "It usually starts around 39 to 41 years old, which is earlier than expected, but it's a natural process," he explains. Some days, near vision may seem fine, while on other days, it may feel blurry, which is normal. Younger people may also have minor vision issues but might not wear glasses for them. Dr. Santosh advises seeing an eye doctor to find out the exact cause and get the right treatment.

Frank Grillo, the 60-year-old actor known for his roles in superhero films like Superman Peacemaker, recently opened up about how he gets in shape for the big screen. In a recent interview on the Men’s Health “Strong Talk” podcast, he candidly discussed his use of steroids, revealing that many actors use similar methods to prepare for roles.

Grillo spoke on his use of the steroid medication, and gave his view on its criticism. As a part of his Testosterone Replacement Therapy treatment, which helps improve symptoms of low testosterone, he took the medication, and it helped him deal with many age-related health issues.

Why Does Frank Grillo Use Steroids?

Grillo shared that about six years ago, he found out his natural testosterone levels were low. To fix this, he started using testosterone replacement therapy. He says this treatment has helped him in many ways, like improving his sleep, speeding up his recovery after workouts, and making him feel happier in general. Grillo doesn't hide his use of steroids.

He pushes back against people who call it “cheating,” arguing that as an actor, he isn’t competing in a sport like football or wrestling. Instead, he’s simply trying to look the part for a movie role and, in his words, is "not cheating at anything except aging." He also points out that when actors are hired for a superhero movie, there’s an expectation to look a certain way, and sometimes that means using medications like Anavar, a steroid that acts like testosterone.

How Do You Build ‘Superhero’ Physiques?

Grillo claims that what he's doing is not uncommon in Hollywood. He believes that many other actors also use steroids to quickly achieve dramatic body transformations for their roles. He mentioned that drugs like Anavar and Deca, which is another type of steroid, are now often prescribed by doctors, which means their use can be monitored by a medical professional.

Grillo was very clear that incredibly muscular bodies aren't natural. He explains that it's just not realistic for someone to look one way for most of the year and then suddenly gain 35 pounds of muscle. He says that while many actors might not want to talk about it, everyone in the industry knows exactly what’s going on.

What Is Anavar/ Oxandrolone?

According to US National Cancer Institute, Oxandrolone is a man-made drug that's very similar to testosterone, a natural hormone in our bodies. It works by attaching to and activating certain receptors, which are like tiny switches in our cells. Because of this, oxandrolone is used for several reasons, including:

Testosterone replacement therapy: To help men who have low testosterone levels.

HIV-wasting syndrome: To help people with HIV who are losing a lot of weight and muscle.

Other conditions: To help the body hold onto more nitrogen (which is key for building muscle) and to increase lean muscle mass.

How Does Aging Effect Testosterone For Men?

According to Hospital for Special Surgery (HSS), as men get older, it's common for them to experience a natural decline in both testosterone and muscle mass. While this is a normal part of aging, there are ways to fight back against it.

Testosterone is a crucial hormone for men. It helps build muscle by creating proteins, which in turn increases muscle strength. Starting around age 40, a man's testosterone levels gradually drop by about 1-2% each year. This decline can lead to symptoms like fatigue, hair loss, and depression, but many men don't realize what's causing these changes because testosterone levels aren't always checked during a routine doctor's visit.

A recent study published in The New England Journal of Medicine has revealed that mass administration of ivermectin, a drug long used for treating river blindness and scabies, can significantly reduce malaria transmission when combined with insecticide-treated bed nets.

The findings come from the BOHEMIA trial, the largest study of its kind, which demonstrated a 26% reduction in new malaria infections on top of existing prevention methods.

What Does The Study Say: The BOHEMIA Trial

The BOHEMIA project (Broad One Health Endectocide-based Malaria Intervention in Africa) was coordinated by the Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal), with support from the “la Caixa” Foundation, and conducted in collaboration with the Manhica Health Research Centre (CISM) in Mozambique and the KEMRI-Wellcome Trust Research Programme in Kenya.

The trial involved two large-scale Mass Drug Administration (MDA) programs in Kwale County, Kenya, and Mopeia district, Mozambique. Participants received a monthly dose of ivermectin (400 mcg/kg) for three consecutive months during the rainy season. In total, more than 20,000 participants took part, and over 56,000 treatments were administered.

Why Is A New Approach Needed?

Malaria remains a major global health threat. In 2023 alone, there were 263 million cases worldwide, leading to nearly 600,000 deaths. Standard prevention measures such as long-lasting insecticidal nets (LLINs) and indoor residual spraying (IRS) have been losing effectiveness due to growing insecticide resistance and changes in mosquito behavior. Mosquitoes increasingly bite outdoors or during hours when people are not under bed nets, limiting the reach of existing strategies.

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This urgent challenge has fueled research into innovative tools like ivermectin. While the drug has historically been used against neglected tropical diseases such as onchocerciasis (river blindness) and lymphatic filariasis (elephantiasis), researchers have discovered that mosquitoes feeding on individuals treated with ivermectin die, thereby reducing malaria transmission.

Results From Kenya and Mozambique

In Kwale County, Kenya, where the intervention targeted children aged 5 to 15, ivermectin led to a 26% reduction in malaria incidence compared to the control group treated with albendazole. In Mozambique, where the study focused on children under five, the drug also showed promise in curbing transmission.

Importantly, the safety profile of ivermectin was reassuring. No severe adverse drug reactions were recorded, and only mild, short-lived side effects were reported, consistent with previous campaigns where the drug was used against other parasitic diseases.

Expert Reactions and Global Significance

Researchers leading the trial have expressed optimism. “Ivermectin has shown great promise in reducing malaria transmission and could complement existing control measures. With continued research, it could become an effective tool for malaria elimination,” said Carlos Chaccour, co-principal investigator of the BOHEMIA project.

The findings also meet the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) criteria for evaluating new vector control tools. According to Joseph Mwangangi of the KEMRI-Wellcome Trust Research Programme, ivermectin could be a vital complementary strategy in areas grappling with insecticide resistance. BOHEMIA’s lead entomologist, Marta Maia of the University of Oxford, echoed this view, noting that the results highlight ivermectin’s potential to bolster malaria control programs.

What Comes Next?

The WHO vector control advisory group has reviewed the findings and confirmed their impact, recommending further large-scale studies. Results have also been shared with national health authorities, who will consider whether ivermectin should be included in official malaria control programs.

While more evidence is needed, the BOHEMIA trial marks a significant step forward in the global fight against malaria. If scaled effectively, ivermectin could become a powerful complement to existing tools, offering new hope in reducing the burden of one of the world’s deadliest diseases.

A new global analysis published in The Lancet has revealed that the probability of dying from non-communicable diseases (NCDs) such as cancer, diabetes, and heart disease has increased in India over the past decade. The study points out that while four out of every five countries saw a decline in chances of dying from a chronic disease, India may stand as an outlier in this health trend.

The study, conducted by researchers from Imperial College London, the World Health Organisation (WHO), and other global institutions, looked at mortality data from 185 countries and territories between 2010 and 2019. India registered a worrying rise, with women experiencing a sharper increase than men.

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What the Numbers Show

Globally, the probability of dying from an NCD between birth and age 80 declined in 82% of countries for females and in 79% for males. These improvements were largely due to fewer deaths from cardiovascular diseases, certain cancers, and conditions such as stroke.

In stark contrast, India joined a small group of countries, including Papua New Guinea,, where deaths from chronic illnesses went up for both genders. The analysis noted that “deaths from most causes of chronic disease increased in India, with heart disease and diabetes contributing heavily.”

The report also underlined that among large nations, countries such as China, Egypt, Nigeria, Russia, and Brazil recorded declines in both male and female chronic disease death risks, highlighting India’s outlier status.

Women Face Higher Risk

The Lancet study highlighted an alarming gender divide in India. While both men and women saw an increase in mortality risk, the rise was steeper for women. This suggests that Indian women are facing growing vulnerability to lifestyle-related illnesses such as diabetes and cardiovascular conditions, potentially compounded by limited access to timely diagnosis and treatment.

Also Read: A Higher Dose Of Semaglutide Helps 1 In 3 Obese Adults Lose 25% Body Weight: Lancet Study

Globally, women have generally benefited more from improved chronic disease management compared to men. India’s reversal of that trend raises fresh concerns about the country’s ability to meet health equity goals.

What Is Driving the Trend?

Experts say India’s growing urbanization, dietary changes, sedentary lifestyles, and high levels of air pollution are fueling the surge in NCDs, as is also stated in a recent 2025 study published in Cureus, titled: Urban-Rural Health Transitions in India: A Comprehensive Review of Non-communicable Disease Trends and Risk Landscapes. Additionally, another 2023 study published in Cureus, titled: The Transformation of The Indian Healthcare System, notes that the country has long struggled with health system constraints, including unequal access to preventive and primary care.

While deaths from communicable diseases have declined due to better vaccination and treatment, the vacuum has been filled by chronic conditions that demand long-term management. The study points to heart disease and diabetes as the leading drivers of India’s rising death risk, alongside growing cases of dementia, alcohol-related disorders, and cancers of the pancreas and liver.

Global Commitments Under Pressure

The findings come at a critical time. Nations, under the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), have pledged to reduce premature mortality from NCDs by one-third by 2030. The upcoming Fourth High-Level Meeting of the UN General Assembly is expected to set out a new vision for tackling these conditions, including scaling up prevention and treatment.

For India, however, the new data suggests the country risks falling further behind on these global commitments.