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BY DR.  KHOOBSURAT NAJMA

Up to 80% of the world’s blindness is avoidable. Cataract, trachoma, glaucoma and diabetes are responsible for more than 70 % of global blindness. Awareness is the key for prevention and timely detection of these eye conditions.

CATARACT

A cataract is a clouding of the lens in the eye leading decreased vision. It can affect one or both eyes. Symptoms may include faded colors, blurry vision and halos around light, trouble seeing at night.

Cause: Cataracts occur mostly as part of aging process but may also occur due to trauma, radiation exposure, be present from birth, or following eye surgery for other problems.

Prevention and treatment:

• There is no prevention for cataract.
• Treatment involves cataract surgery to remove the cloudy lens and replace it with an artificial lens.
• In most people, surgery restores the vision to near normal.

TRACHOMA

Trachoma is a fast spreading bacterial infection which affects the outer covering of the eye (conjunctiva), the cornea, and the eyelids. Symptoms include redness of eyes, tearing, inward turned lashes (trichiasis), scarring and visual loss.

Cause: Trachoma is caused by the Chlamydia trachomatis bacteria. It occurs mostly due to poor and unhygienic living conditions.

Prevention and treatment:

• Trachoma can be prevented easily by maintaining adequate hygiene and keeping the environment clean.
• Treatment involves use of antibiotic drops and surgery for inward turned lashes.
• Corneal transplantation is done if there is excessive corneal scarring.

GLAUCOMA

Glaucoma is a condition of increased pressure within the eyeball, causing gradual loss of sight. There may be no symptoms. Sometimes, eye pressure becomes very high causing sudden eye pain, headache, and blurred vision

Cause: Normally, the fluid, in the eye called aqueous humor, flows out of the eye through a mesh-like channel. If this channel becomes blocked, fluid builds up, causing glaucoma.

Prevention and treatment

• There is no preventive treatment for glaucoma, but visual loss can be avoided if glaucoma is detected and treated at an early stage.
• Treatment involves eye drops to maintain eye pressure and surgery if required.

DIABETES

Diabetic retinopathy is damage to the blood vessels of the light-sensitive tissue at the back of the eye (retina) due to high blood sugar levels. Symptoms include spots or dark strings floating in your vision (floaters), blurred vision, impaired color vision, dark or empty areas in vision, vision loss

Cause: With time, high blood sugar can lead to the blockage of the tiny blood vessels that nourish the retina, cutting off its blood supply.

Prevention and treatment:

• Loss of vision due to diabetic retinopathy can be prevented by regular eye examinations and timely intervention with laser treatment or surgery.
• Eating healthy, good metabolic control, keeping blood pressure and cholesterol in check and adopting an active lifestyle can delay onset of diabetic retinopathy.