October 10 is the World Sight Day, and the focus is on the need to demystify blindness as the scourge of humanity. This is because blindness is regarded as one of the chronic health problems that anyone can suffer from.
While blindness may be caused by a myriad of problems, which are sometimes preventable, the bitter truth is that when it happens, life not only changes for the victim — especially where both eyes are affected —those around him will also feel the pain, even if psychologically...........................More gist?
Eye-catching statistics
According to the World Health Organisation, 285 million people are estimated to be visually impaired worldwide: 39 million are blind and 246 have low vision.
Sad to say, about 90 per cent of the world’s visually impaired live in developing countries; and 82 per cent of people living with blindness are aged 50 and above.
The WHO notes that globally, uncorrected refractive errors (when the eye cannot clearly focus the images) are the main cause of visual impairment; while cataracts remain the leading cause of blindness in middle- and low-income countries.
And though the number of people that are visually impaired from infectious diseases has greatly reduced in the last 20 years, experts say 80 per cent of all visual impairment can be avoided or cured.
Levels of visual function
According to the International Classification of Diseases, there are four levels of visual function, and they are: normal vision, moderate visual impairment, severe visual impairment and blindness.
The ICD notes that moderate visual impairment, combined with severe visual impairment, are grouped under the term “low vision.” When low vision is taken together with blindness, it represents all visual impairment.
Why people go blind
Physicians say globally, uncorrected refractive errors, such as myopia, hyperopia or astigmatism are responsible for visual impairment in about 43 per cent of cases. Unoperated cataract is responsible for 33 per cent; while glaucoma is responsible for blindness in two per cent of cases.
Physicians say some debilitating diseases can also result in blindness if they are not attended to with the seriousness they deserve. They include the following:
Diabetes
A Diabetologist/Medical Director of Rainbow Specialist Medical Centre, Lekki Phase 1, Dr. Afokoghene Isiavwe, says diabetes, when neglected, may result in many health complications, including vision impairment or outright blindness.
She warns that people with diabetes have a higher risk of blindness as a result of what she calls “diabetic retinopathy.” She says, “Diabetic retinopathy is the most common diabetic eye disease and may lead to blindness if left untreated.”
Experts warn that approximately 80 per cent of all patients who have had diabetes for at least 10 years risk some degree of diabetic retinopathy.
“Diabetic retinopathy is the damage to the retina (the light-sensitive membrane that covers the back of the eye), specifically blood vessels in the retina, caused by complications of diabetes mellitus; and it can eventually lead to blindness if left untreated,” Isiavwe warns.
An ophthalmologist, Dr. Yinka Aburi, says if diagnosed and treated early, diabetes-related blindness is usually preventable.
Glaucoma
Aburi says glaucoma is a term that describes a group of eye conditions that lead to damage to the optic nerve as a result of increasing pressure in the eye.
The eye physician explains further, “Sometimes, the cause is unknown — as in the case of chronic glaucoma, which tends to run in families and painlessly and slowly damages vision.
“Another class of the disease, called acute glaucoma, occurs when the exit of the aqueous humor fluid is suddenly blocked. This causes a quick, severe, and painful rise in the pressure in the eye. It is a medical emergency that must not be ignored.”
Aburi adds that when an eye suffers acute glaucoma, it soon affects the second eye, hence the need to act swiftly. “Even eye drops that dilate the eyes, and certain medications, may trigger an acute glaucoma attack,” Aburi warns.
Among babies, Aburi contends, congenital glaucoma happens because it often runs in families and is present at birth. “It is caused by abnormal eye development,” he says.
Physicians warn that certain drugs, such as corticosteroids, can cause secondary glaucoma. Ditto some eye diseases such as uveitis (swelling and irritation of the uvea, the middle layer of the eye), trauma, and some systemic diseases — which affect a number of organs and tissues, or affect the body as a whole.
“That’s why regular eye check-up is absolutely necessary for people of all ages, and especially for those who are ageing,” Aburi counsels.
Macular degeneration
Aburi describes this as a medical condition that usually affects older adults and results in a loss of vision in the centre of the visual field. “The condition is rare before age 55, but it is most often seen in adults 75 years or older,” he enthuses.
He explains that age-related macular degeneration usually affects both eyes, though the level of its progression can vary from eye to eye. “Age, smoking, high fat diet, obesity and a family history of AMD are known to increase the risk of developing the condition,” he warns.
Sadly, Aburi warns, there is currently no cure for dry AMD. As such, treatment is mostly based on helping victims make the most of their remaining vision, such as using magnifying lenses to read.
Cataracts
Aburi says this is a condition that clouds the lens inside the eye and leads to a decrease in vision. “It is most commonly due to biological ageing and it is the most common cause of blindness, though it is absolutely treatable,” the doctor says.
“Other causes of blindness include blocked blood vessels, complications of premature birth, complications of eye surgery, lazy eye syndrome, stroke, and certain types of tumors,” Aburi adds.
Food for the eye
Nutritionists say diets rich in fruit and green, leafy vegetables can promote eye health. Feast on them, as there’s plenty benefits to get from them.
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