Regular eye checks can prevent vision loss

Writes Ruby Harfield

Eye healthcan be maintained bya well-balanced diet and regular eye checkscan detect age related vision lossearlier.

Eye Institute’s Dr Narme Deva,an expert incataractsurgery andretinal disease, said it is importantto get regular eye checksatan optometrist or eye specialist to ensure any eye conditions are caughtearly on.

Manyconditions, especially those that areage-related, don’t have any symptoms until they have progressed.

People often check their eyes when they are five-years-old and then often not again until their 40s unless they have blurry vision,Dr Devasaid.

It is importanttohave an eye check atleast once in your 20s and 30s, or more frequently if there is a family historyof eye problems.

“Most people develop symptoms of difficultyfocusing on nearby objects in their 40s (presbyopia).

“This ispart of the normal aging process but from your 40s you should get youreyeschecked every five years or so.”

This should become yearly from the time peoplereach 60to65.

The reasonfor thesechecksisto help optometristsand eye specialists findconditions before theybecome symptomatic.

There arealso things peoplecan do athometomaintaingood eye health.

“All thestuffyourparents would havetold you growing up– a good healthybalanced diet rich in green leafy vegetables, Omega3 fatty acids.”

Definitely do not smoke as it increases the risk of developing eye problems, Dr Deva said.

UVrayscan start affecting people’s eyes from quite a young age so sunglasses, wide brimmed hatsand safety eyewear are important.

“Trytoprotect your eyes.”

Onecondition that is notalways age-related is diabetic eye disease and itcan cause significant eye problems.

“The biggest risk factor is the duration of yourdiabetes which you can’t control as once you’ve gotit you’vegot it,but howwellyou control you sugar levelscan helpa lot.”

Uncontrolled high blood pressure can also affect eyesight.

COMMONAGE-RELATED EYE CONDITIONS:

Cataracts Thelensinsideyoureyeisimportant for focusing but itcan become cloudy as you age. It’s like looking through a frosted window.

Surgeryis the only treatment. It is a successful smallprocedure to remove the natural lens andreplace it with an artificial lens that lasts for your whole life. Cataractsare completely treatable with surgery. Glaucoma Glaucomareferstoa group of conditionsrelatingtodamage to the nerveattheback ofthe eye. It is often linkedtoeye pressure problems and can lead to vision loss.

This is irreversible but if it is picked upearly enough, the vision losscan be preventable. That’s whyregular eye checks are important. Age-related macular degeneration Macular degeneration affectsyour central vision. There’s evidence that lutein andzeaxanthin (green leafy vegetables) give protectionfor the macula which is the area affected by maculadegeneration

There aretwo types, wet anddry and theycan coexist.

Dry is themost common and a certaincombination of vitamins (AREDS)can slow the progress. These are available over thecounter.

Wet can becontrolled bya series of medications (anti-VEGF drugs) into theback ofthe eye. Eye Institute’s Dr Narme Deva is an expert in cataract surgery and retinal disease. Photo/Supplied

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Dr Will Cunningham Dr Sophie HillProf. Helen Danesh-Meyer

Dr Peter Hadden Prof. Charles McGhee Dr Nick Mantell Dr Narme Deva Dr Divya Perumal Dr Graha Dr Peter Ringm Reeves Dr Jay Meyer

Dr Shanu Subbiah Dr Adam Watson Dr Kaliopy Matheos Dr Liz Insull Dr John Beaumont

SPECIALISTS IN: Cataract, Cornea, Dry Eye, Laser Vision Correction, Glaucoma, Neuro-Ophthalmology, Oculoplastics, Oncology, Retina, Uveitis