Dr. Bharat Desai's Blog

If you use a computer, it’s a reason enough for you to read this article. This is the first article of two-part series on Computer Vision Syndrome. The information is extracted from Dr. Vineet Ratra’s (DNB FRCS) presentation in All India Ophthalmological Conference 2011. Dr. Ratra is Senior Consultant at Sankara Nethralaya, Chennai. Computer Vision Syndrome ( CVS )

What is the ideal amount to be given with 'blessings' at the time of someone's wedding? 101.. 151.. 251... 501 or more? No amount is OK... Ideal is zero ! Your relationship is priceless... no need of being pseudo-formal.

Interesting Message on Valentine's Day: I want to love so many people simultaneously and unconditionally... but I cannot do with each and everyone that come across. To the extent, I start hating some only on my impression after seeing someone.

Facebook users grading, in my opinion: Expresses one's views on different subjects and responds to friends with comments. Only gives comments to Facebook material by friends. Only clicks like button when likes, but does not tell one's views Opens Facebook and reads, but then silent. Never sees Facebook, someone/oneself has started FB account, that's all!

My Car  to Desai Eye Hospital My wife’s car ( Dr Bhavana Desai )  to Bilimora Railway Station Sayaji Nagari Express  to Surat Auto Rickshaw  to Dayalji Ashram (a Marriage Function) Walk  to God Dod Road Auto Rickshaw  to Dr Bhaskar D Acharya’s Bungalow Car  to Surat S.T. Bus Terminus State Transport Super-fast Bus  to Navsari Local Bus  to Eru Cross Roads Three-wheeler Tempo  to Khara Abrama Three-wheeler Tempo  to Amalsad Three-wheeler Tempo  to Bilimora Brisk walk  for early home

I said: If you want to tell something to your close ones – son/ daughter/ parents/ parents-in-law/ brother-sister-in-law/ sons-daughters-in-law – regarding some misunderstanding, problem, disagreement, expectation, etc., tell the concerned one directly instead of telling others. Because - Telling others will complicate the issue rather than solving it. The other person will add her/his own material to the story and then tell. Your story may be changed in total. The other person may enjoy your situation in place of sympathizing you! If you tell your emotions directly to the concerned one, it may solve the issue. Telling the close person directly will make a great difference.

I see my friends on Facebook active, even hyperactive, for sometime and then inactive or say silent for a long gap to appear again. Is it a mood variation from euphoria to depression that is the cause or other engagements elsewhere? What do you think is the reason?

Privacy and Security Advisers tell, follow this while being on social networking (Facebook, Twitter, etc.): Avoid putting photos showing details of home Don't give your travel/tour programme in details Don't disclose your whereabouts Avoid giving contact details like address, mobile and E-mail

Death on desire is also known as “Mercy killing” and ‘Euthanasia’. In Greek language, Eu means good and thanatos means death… Euthanasia meaning good death. It is ending the life when one does not want to live. It is also known as ‘death without suffering’.

Parents and Children on Facebook : If all the concerned are transparent and so open to have any dialogue, if each can talk freely without fear or hesitation, 'friendship on Facebook' is not a problem. Well, all have to be frank and open is a pre-condition or better be away from here, as otherwise also they are!

After crossing primary stage of it, one starts loving and enjoying obesity. Then things are difficult. Only diet control and exercise is the master key to get rid of it. No crash diet course or costly weight loss programme can do magic. One has to decide and act... or complications like high Blood Pressure (B.P.), diabetes, joint pains and heart troubles are ready.

Blindness is a state of being sightless or say an inability to see . World Health Organization - WHO (1972) describes blindness as the inability to count fingers at the distance of 3 meters in day-light after best possible spectacle correction in the better eye OR visual field less than 10° around the centre of fixation. Blindness is of three TYPES: Loss of visual acuity. Colour blindness: Inability to recognize colours, and Night blindness: Night vision is damaged.

Continued from the series  I, at 60 ; Relations, at 60 ; Money, at 60  and  Medical Practice, at 60 Am I ready to die? The answer is yes and no. If given choice, I don’t want to die before my father. If so is allowed, I want to be with him serving till his last breath and yes, then I am ready. Actually, I had sorted out my wishes during my terminal illness where I am unconscious regarding 1. Organ donation, body donation and eye donation, 2. Treatment schedule especially telling when they should be stopped, 3. Protocols to be followed at the time of death and 4. Formalities not to be observed after my death and enlisted them. But then I suddenly realized the futileness of such exercise and accordingly, I have omitted all as a mark of respect to my concerned ones.

I was one of the brightest of students during my academic career. I respected my teachers and I was their favourite student. I have studied up to 28 years of age to pass M.S. in Ophthalmology and practised for 32 years. I know practising in a small village-like town does bring more practice and less money. I was the only eye specialist available serving needy poor of the area for more than two decades . I have worked as honorary visiting eye-surgeon at Eye camps organized at Adivasi (tribal) and poor areas of Vansda, Ahwa, Dharampur for a long time - at Gram Seva Trust, Kharel and Bodhi Gaya (Bihar) eye-camps for more than five years. I am working at Rotary Eye Hospital, Chikhali till today in addition to my private practice .

Continued from  I, at 60 and Relationship, at 60 If a person is ready to live a simple life in old age with minimum needs, any savings one has done is enough. Generally, all at 60 and beyond feel whatever one has earned is very little – one has missed the chance to earn. When I graduated my MBBS in 1974, all were leaving for the US. I opted for serving my motherland India and my parents; today I have no regrets for the decision. If serving the poor with full dedication is considered to balance, I have earned it at maximum. If poor appreciation is an issue, I suggest to bother about  Karmic Theory  of results and remain aloof.

Continued from  I, at 60 Before starting this story, I must admit, I have been accompanied by a brother before birth till today - a pair of twins. We are hardly comparable in any way or let me say, we are totally different in nature, look and attitude - we are always available to each other. I had parents to guide me till 60, of whom I lost my mother a month back. My father is always available with his viewpoint to guide me in need on any issue with clarity of thought and without forcing to follow the same. I understand it as a great luxury many do not have.

In my first presentation on At 60 and after… I had enlisted ten general characteristics related to age. Now I think it is worth writing my own experiences, views and ideas regarding the subject of being 60 . Well, I am sharing my thoughts. I am sure you will respond with your comments. First, I’d like to reply FAQs (frequently asked questions) regarding me:

At 60 and after... Even the not-so-young people around start addressing you as Uncle/Auntie. You start receiving less greeting cards on new year, birthday, wedding anniversary. You start earning less in case of professionals and start getting pensions if retired from such a job. One starts counting balances and investments that can give returns. Diseases of old-age like blood pressure, diabetes, arthritis, amnesia start showing their power. Certain serious illnesses like cancer, paralysis and heart problems start troubling. You start receiving concessions in railway ticket, state transport fare and air tickets. Younger people may start offering a seat at public places out of respect or pity. You may be allowed to go ahead in 'Q's and if needed they may support you. You start feeling a new phase of life has begun, where you have to start compromising and adjusting in place of ruling and dominating as in the past. Senior citizen clubs and old-age homes start waiting ...

Happy. "Something" Day! If you have always been a well-wisher of all the concerned, I doubt wishing "Happy" this and that makes any extra sense. You will never wish bad-luck for any of your relative, friend or neighbour, any way - say, not even in a dream! Let us be real and original, instead of being formal and showy.

Lifeline : In Kaun Banega Crorepati (KBC), a TV game show, they say one shouldn't delay decision of using a lifeline when in confusion or state of uncertainty. Or else, you may lose lots of money, or possible all your money. Similarly in real life, in the state of confusion, frustration or uncertainty, don't hesitate in using available lifeline (here, a lifeline may mean parents, close relatives, friends) immediately or you will end up with troubles having no way out. - Dr. Shashikant Shah

A story of a little known frontier village Mano - Majra (Punjab) - a railway station situated near the bank of river Sutlej dividing India & Pakistan. Here the author narrates the history of 1947 Summer after Partition was declared and frontier elsewhere has become the scene of rioting and bloodshed, but this is the village where Sikhs and Muslims have always lived peacefully and partition did not mean much. Life is regulated by the trains which rattle across the nearby river bridge. One day a local money lender is Kala Ramlal is murdered. Suspicion falls upon Juggut Singh - a gangster having an affair with the Muslim weaver's young daughter Nooran. A western educated communist agent Iqbal Singh comes and does his activity here and stays at gurudwara after meeting Meet Singh - a priest. And one day a train comes from Pakistan full of dead Sikhs and some days later the same thing - a train full Sikhs from Pakistan is repeated. Imam Baksh, Mullah a Muslim spiritual leader at a mo...

A few days ago, my mother (84) passed away of old age. I had an experience of being in a state of sorrow due to her demise. The article is an outcome of experiences following the incidence. I did realize the need and importance of true consolation to the grieved person. So I thought it is prudent to write from the heart words giving guidance. Condolence : It is expressing sympathy to a misfortune or bereavement (one deprived of relative because of death). Consolation : To give comfort or sympathy to an unhappy person. On the death of a close relative, a sudden gap is created due to the absence of that relative. Even the mentally strong person understanding every aspect of the event becomes shocked for a while. Here is the need of true consolation known as 'condolence.'

When someone close is away beyond easily approachable distance, person concerned is anxious and worried for no reason about well-being of person. The only way out is Acceptance. Image Source: beeimgs.com

The day you start counting what you have done for your friend/relative, the relationship is either over or about to die. The base of any relation is moral/psychological support, physical work and financial/materialistic help. It has to be endless and beyond counts. Once you start falling short of this, you go finding all such things and expecting reward or reciprocation. Well, that is the end of relation.

BE ALERT! When either of your parents comment, criticise or say something about your spouse/life-partner in absence of the concerned partner, be alert. They may be wrong or say prejudiced. So be alert, prudent and cautious before discussing this or taking any action against the concerned person.

Mind your mind! Or you may need a psychiatrist at the earliest. If you cannot love and respect any one of the following (whatever their nature, economic or intellectual level may be) - Parents, Parents-in-law, Son/Daughter, or Son/Daughter-in-law, consider checking your thought cycle and revise it. Or else, you may be nowhere.  You may lose your most important life support following your method.

Alert ! When you are staying as a nuclear family, say single pair of husband-wife for long duration, a time comes you start enjoying-loving your privacy and loneliness. And time comes when you don't like any break-breach in that, meaning thereby you start disliking, if not hating, any person around.

We should felicitate the extremists, terrorists, alcoholics, gamblers, etc. type of people around us for their total conviction, devotion to the job they do; total dedication and full attention to the work they have opted. Their character attracts followers and disciples obeying them blindly. Only after learning these virtues, can we raise our own neck for any garland!

From the recent book   review , I presented at Lions Club’s promotional event, as a part of Vanche Gujarat campaign. The One Minute Apology - Ken Blanchard,  Margret McBride A powerful way to make things better. A manipulative technique for getting what you want. A power of forgiveness to improve or repair relationships, your business and even your home.

Any profit and loss account statement should end with precise brief balance sheet telling what was the final outcome; similarly any detailed report should end with conclusion telling what did you really gained. I will do that. What did I learn here? I will reply this question precisely. I cannot and do not want to boast of gaining ENLIGHTENMENT, but I can say with full humility, I have learnt a lot. They have changed me.

Raj means kingdom, the place where The King rules. Yoga means meeting, relation or joining together. So, Raj-Yoga is a technique of meditation leading to peace and happiness and thereby uniting oneself with supreme power-soul. The practice of Raj-yoga leads you to happiness for yourself and for those whom you interact by your inspiring source of positivity. The aim of Raj-yoga is to provide a means by which you can become the master of your own mind and your own destiny and thus acquire constant peace of mind.

Reference: Practical Meditation (by Brahmakumaris) Continued from: Karmic Theory (Law Of Karma) The Law of Karma, of action and reaction, is spiritual sphere and is absolute. It states: For every action there will be an equal and opposite reaction. Opposite, of course, means opposite in direction. Whatever interactions I have with others, I receive the equivalent in return. This means that, if I have given happiness, I will get happiness in return and if I have given sorrow, I will receive sorrow in return. Thus the law is simple and when understood in full depth, it can give insight into the significance of events in my own world and in world at large.