75% of blindness is avoidable

Sourced from the Botswana Press Agency

Health workers at a two-day workshop in Botswana have confirmed that 75% of blindness can be avoided. The workshop are gathering information for an initiative called Vision 2020 on blindness prevention which names the World Health Organisation as one of its collaborators. This is a global initiative for the elimination of avoidable blindness by the year 2020.

Research by the WHO and related organisations estimated that there were 37 million blind people worldwide and up to 2 million people get blind each year. It is also estimated that blindness in developing countries is double that of the developed countries with 50% of blindness being caused by cataract.

It is because an estimated 75% of blindness is avoidable that the global initiative of Vision 2020 (dubbed 'the right to sight') was launched.

Projections based on the global population increase predict that 76 million would be blind by 2020. 75% of this population lived in Africa, SE Asia and West Pacific and 60% was treatable whilst 20% was preventable, cataract being by far the greatest cause of blindness. In Botswana blindness was mostly caused by cataract at 46.9 per cent followed by diabetic retinopathy at 20 per cent, corneal opacity at 13.2 per cent and trachoma at 6.2 per cent.

Visual impairment link to dementia

A recent study conducted by the University of Michigan Health System has found that elderly people with untreated visual disorders are significantly more likely to develop dementia and in particular, Alzheimer’s disease. Using data supplied by Medicare the study shows that those with poor vision, who visited an ophthalmologist for an examination were 64% less likely to develop dementia.

The study demonstrated the importance for elderly individuals with visual problems to seek medical attention. Treatments that were helpful in lowering the risk of dementia were surgery to correct cataracts and treatments for glaucoma, retinal disorders and other eye-related problems.

Physical activities such as walking and mentally stimulating activities such as socializing or reading have been found to lower the risk of Alzheimer’s disease. Of course nearly all of these require adequate vision. Sadly, many elderly Americans do not have adequate health coverage for vision exams and Medicare does not cover preventive vision screenings. As we all know, mainstream medical practice does not recognise prevention. Unfortunately, the elderly usually receive vision treatment only after a problem is severe enough to warrant a visit to the doctor and this is usually only once the problem is in an advanced stage. Most people do not realize that many eye problems are impossible to detect until the damage is done. Few conditions have warning signs.

Poor vision and blindness are among the top 10 disabilities among adults and can result in a greater tendency to experience other health conditions or even premature death. Mortality rates for Alzheimer’s disease are on the rise, which highlights the need to delay the onset of dementia.

The study concluded that only 10% of Medicare beneficiaries who developed dementia had excellent vision at the beginning of the study, while 30% of those who maintained normal cognition had excellent vision at the onset of the study.

In the US, 1 in 5 of those who are over 50 report experiencing a visual impairment. Approximately 5 million Americans have Alzheimer’s disease and this figure has doubled since 1980, so at the current rate there could be 13 million sufferers by 2050.

Obesity epidemic in pets

Especially in the over-indulgent West (particularly the US), it is not only humans that are suffering from obesity. This epidemic has now also spread to our most common pets - cats and dogs. The consumption of excessive amounts of carbohydrates and fats, and being sedentary, causes pets a host of secondary health problems. The obese patient is predisposed to life threatening bouts of disease of the pancreas, along with insulin dependent diabetes. Fat cats are especially prone to diabetes, comprising the biggest percentage of diabetic patients in small animal medicine.

Obesity also causes skeletal strain leading to spinal disc injuries, ligament tears and arthritis. Over-feeding your pet is not a gesture of love it is almost an act of cruelty and pet owners are solely responsible for and to their pets. As with good parenting, you, the pet owner has to keep the disciplinary boundaries, you are the adult and you are in charge. A dog for example, is exceptionally clever and a master of begging. He or she will soon establish how to get around the owner for more food and to be cute when sharing your cakes, chips or ice cream. Every act of weakness on your behalf could result in routinely giving in to your pet, which ultimately, could shorten its life and cost you a fortune in vets bills.

Should you choose not to offer your pet the quality of life it deserves by giving it a good, healthy, balanced diet and regular exercise, please expect the inevitable impact on your bank balance. Surgery to repair ligament tears or spinal disc herniations are expensive, as are trips to the hospital for pancreatitis and the insulin injections needed to manage his or her diabetes. Lets not forget that diabetic dogs and cats will be almost guaranteed to suffer with cataracts which in turn will probably lead to blindness. An obese pet will age quicker and will therefore suffer the pains of aging earlier.

Think about the treatment of your companion and try not to let your weakness become their early demise.

Goggles for your dog?

Dogs from various breeds suffer with over-sensitivity to sunlight. They will show their discomfort by squinting or pawing at their faces. Sunglasses for canines may seem like a silly gimmick or quirky fashion statement but that's ignoring the benefits that a pair of pet dog goggles may offer. As soon as we pop out into the bright sunlight we quickly grab our sunglasses for comfort and protection against the harmful effects of UV light. It only seems reasonable to offer that same protection for our beloved dogs.

Dogs share a lot of the same eye diseases as we do, especially once our eyes reach a certain age. Eye diseases like macular degeneration, cataracts and photokeratitis are commonplace in dogs. Certain breeds of dogs can also suffer from a condition called “pannus,” which is a chronic superficial keratitis or inflammation of the corneas. It is a disorder which primarily affects dogs aged 4 to 7 years that live at high or low altitudes where there is an increased levels of exposure to ultraviolet radiation.

Predisposed breeds to the affects of Pannus include German Shepard,Belgian Tervuren, Belgian Sheepdog, Greyhounds, Huskies,Dachshunds, Poodles, Border Collies and Labrador Retrievers.

It is not just ultraviolet radiation that can damage your precious pooch's vision. Dogs that ride with their heads out of the car window or run through brush are also at risk to eye damage.

Perhaps, if you haven't considered eye damage prevention for your dog previously, goggles that function as sunglasses could offer all round eye protection. As always, prevention is better than cure, especially when you consider the potential bill from the Vet!

Multi-ethnic study for eye research in Asia

Asia is home to nearly 50% all the world's 40 million blind people so it comes as quite a surprise that knowledge about major eye diseases is limited.

Recent research from the Singapore Eye Research Institute is now shedding more light on this situation with a series of multi-ethnic studies particularly concentrating on the importance of the early detection of eye diseases in Asia.

The project is a world first and consists of 3 x 2 year studies involving more than 10,000 randomly pre-selected Chinese, Malay and Indian participants living in Singapore.

The project aims to gather critical information on the causes and impacts of vision-threatening diseases effecting Asians. The Institute has already discovered some interesting findings with the Malay and Indian studies. Examples being, a considerable number in the Malay group were unaware of their condition. 90% of glaucoma cases were not previously diagnosed while 30 per cent of diabetic patients with retina damage had never seen an eye doctor!

Professor Tien Yin, director, Singapore Eye Research Institute, said: "40% of the Indian people living in Singapore have low vision in at least one eye and the majority of this is caused by cataract... it could be easily preventable or treated."

The Singapore Chinese Eye Study is currently in its final phase. This particular study is unique from the other two because data collected from it will be compared to information from two other Chinese cohorts in Los Angeles and Guangzhou.

This will allow researchers to examine how various lifestyle factors influence eye diseases in Chinese people across the various communities.

Sourced from Cheryl Lim, Channel NewsAsia

Omega 3 to improve infant visual acuity

A new clinical trial in the US has vindicated a study conducted by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) for DHA-related brain and eye health claims for infants. DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) is more commonly known as Omega 3 fatty acid. The EFSA panel agreed that DHA levels of 100mg of per day were appropriate for 7-24 month-old infants along with 200mg per day for pregnant and lactating women.

It was announced from the US trial and the EFSA findings that: “DHA intake can contribute to normal development of the eye of the foetus, infant and young children”, and“DHA intake can contribute to the visual development of the infant”.

Doses of 0.32 and 0.64 per cent DHA led to improvements in eye health of infants, compared to infants fed non-supplemented formula, according to new results published in the prestigious American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

While it is agreed that breastfeeding is the best way to ensure an infant receives the nutrients it needs in its first months, formulas are indispensable in some cases. Manufacturers of formula's must proceed with caution with the emotive subject that perhaps fortified formula, especially with added DHA, could be as good or even better than Mothers' milk.

Hooding or hanging upper eyelids

Aging causes your skin to lose its elasticity. When this occurs in the upper eyelid, it is called dermatochalasis (der-muh-to-kal-ay-sis), or hooding. Hooding in the upper eyelid ranges from a mild loss of the normal eyelid fold to extensive sagging. In this case the eyelid can completely cover the eyelashes and eyes therefore interfering with vision. Usually hooding isn't serious enough to warrant correction. Cosmetic or plastic surgeons can perform a surgery for hanging upper eyelids, during which the muscles that are attached to the lids are tightened. Usually both eyes are done at the same time, so the eyes will look even.

Another form of hanging upper eyelid involves the entire eyelid not just the de-elasticized skin and this is called ptosis (TOE-sis). This condition occurs when the nerve that works the muscle that raises the eyelid is damaged. The most common reason for this condition to occur is either by a stroke or during surgery, especially cataract surgery. Surgery is also the remedy for ptosis, but as with all surgical procedures complications can arise. One such post surgery complication is that you may not be able to close your eyelids all the way! Another potential complication is that your eyes will no longer match with one eyelid being higher than the other. This will just lead to further surgery so before you contemplate having any form of surgery, discuss your concerns with your doctor, and make sure you understand the risks and potential side effects involved.

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