• Home

Let your eyes see

Comprehensive tests, exercise and protecting eyes from injury will help prevent glaucoma.

Abu Dhabi — Glaucoma, the second leading cause of blindness following cataract, is on the rise. An incurable disease, glaucoma can be prevented only by early diagnosis.

“Glaucoma is a group of eye diseases that causes progressive damage to the optic nerve. If left untreated, most types of glaucoma evolve towards gradually worsening a person’s vision and possibly causing blindness. This visual damage is mostly irreversible. That is why glaucoma is considered as the ‘sneak thief of sight’,” explained Dr Sunil GT, Specialist, Ophthalmology, Burjeel Hospital.

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), 65 million people are affected by glaucoma worldwide and this is projected to rise to 76 million by 2020 and to 112 million by 2040.

“The average prevalence of glaucoma is about 3.5 per 100 people worldwide,” said Dr Sunil.

He said glaucoma rarely presents any symptom and often goes unnoticed until the person loses his or her sight. There are also no known ways of preventing glaucoma, early detection is the key.

“Blindness or significant vision loss from glaucoma can be prevented if the disease is recognised in its early stages. In its most prevalent form, loss of vision can be silent, slow, and progressive,” Dr Sunil pointed out, noting the loss of vision starts on the side moving towards the central vision at an advanced stage.

Only 10 per cent or less of people will present signs and symptoms.

“Seeing halos around lights, redness in the eye, eye that looks hazy, pain in the eye, narrowing or loss of vision, nausea or vomiting are some of the most important indicators. Some people think these are just symptoms of exhaustion. But it might be more than just that. Neglecting these signs might cost them their vision,” Dr Sunil said.

“Studies have shown that incidence of blindness takes about 15 years for unilateral blindness (one eye) about 20 years for bilateral blindness (two eyes). So it takes about 15 to 20 years for the person to lose his or her vision even with treatment,” he stated.

According to Dr Sunil, lack of awareness about the disease, low detection rates, and an aging population are the major factors which contribute to the increasing number of cases.

Old age is an important factor for glaucoma. Those more than 60 years are at high risk, as well as those with a family history of eye disease (about 4-6 times at risk). People having previous eye disease or any eye injury and those taking steroids in any form for a long time are also at risk. Glaucoma is also associated with diabetes and short-sightedness (myopia) and those with genetic predisposition to the disease.

Because of the silent progression of the disease in its early stage, up to 50 per cent of affected individuals in developed countries are not aware of having glaucoma and therefore, do not receiving any treatment. This number rises to 90 per cent in less developed parts of the world. WHO figures claim that nine million individuals have lost their eyesight due to glaucoma, making it the second leading cause of blindness. Yet, 90 per cent could have been prevented. This number will rise as the population increases and ages.

Regular comprehensive eye tests, frequent eye exercise, and protecting eyes from physical injury are the best forms of prevention.

olivia@khaleejtimes.com

• UAE