Did you know that this week (6 Mar to 12 Mar) is World Glaucoma Week?

Glaucoma is an eye condition whereby the sufferer’s field of vision narrows. It has been referred to as the silent thief of sight because by the time one discovers he/she has it, the condition is usually too serious, and irreversible. That sounds scary, doesn’t it? But that is why awareness about this condition is so important. While unpreventable, getting treatment at an early stage can slow down further damage to optic nerves. Proper administration of medication (usually in the form of eyedrops) prescribed for this condition can enable one to keep their eyesight even in old age, hence preventing blindness.

The Singapore National Eye Centre (SNEC) webpage provides an excellent visual of what different stages of glaucoma could feel like (scroll to the section under How do I know if I have Glaucoma?). Essentially, if you start seeing little black edges around your vision, you need to make an appointment with the eye specialist, no matter how non-intrusive or tiny you may deem those little tiny edges to be. Leaving them alone can only cause the condition to further deteriorate rapidly.

SNEC also provides a list of risk factors that increase the likelihood of contracting glaucoma:
  • Age; the risk increases once you are over 50 years old.
  • Chronic diseases, notably diabetes and high blood pressure
  • Being Asian and Afro-caribbean
  • Eye injuries
  • Severe nearsightedness
  • Family history of glaucoma
  • Use of steroids
You can’t prevent glaucoma, which is the gradual damage of an optic nerve. But you can slow down the amount of damage through some good habits:

Regular eye examinations. Those who possess any of the above-mentioned risk factors should have an eye examination every year after the age of 35.

Regular exercise. Studies found that moderate exercise such as walking or jogging at least thrice a week helps lower the intraocular pressure (IOP), hence reducing damage to the optic nerve. Yoga is also beneficial but one should avoid regular inverted positions like headstands and shoulder stands for prolonged periods of time as those would increase the IOP.

Eye protection. When engaging in sports or any activity that could cause injury and trauma to your eyes, do wear the appropriate eye protection gear.

Spread the word, remind your parents, grandparents and elderly neighbours. No one should suffer from vision loss in their twilight years due to ignorance.

Always, always make an appointment with an eye doctor if there are changes to your vision, no matter how small.

Sources:



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