EARLY DETECTION VITAL TO FIGHT GLAUCOMA

Aside from cataracts, no other eye condition or disease renders a person permanently blind as glaucoma does. The World Health Organisation (WHO) has said glaucoma is the second leading cause of blindness in the world.

Glaucoma is a disease that harms the optic nerve of the eye. It usually happens when fluid builds up in the front part of the eye as much pressure is increased in the eye as a result of the extra fluid, which eventually damages the optic nerve. It is one eye condition that is mostly misunderstood, and very often, people do not realise the severity of it or their being susceptible to it.

“Many in the community don’t have that culture of going for routine early checks,” says optometrist,Thabang Lehako.

In the early stages, he says, most patients will not have symptoms. So it’s one of the reasons why it is very difficult to diagnose.

“I assure you that there are a lot of people walking around with glaucoma without being aware of it. So, the data we have today do not portray the real picture because, although there are cases that have been identified, there are, perhaps, more people who have glaucoma who have not been identified,”said Lehako.

In 2014,a national blindness and visual impairment survey conducted in Botswana found that blindness and vision impairment affected 5.2 percent of those aged 50 and older, an increase of 1.5 percent from the previous survey in 2006.

Although glaucoma is a leading cause of blindness for people over 40 years, however, blindness caused by glaucoma can often be prevented with early detection and treatment.

“Globally, at least 2.2 billion people have a vision impairment or blindness, of which at least one billion have a vision impairment that could have been prevented. Population growth and aging, along with behavioural and lifestyle changes and urbanisation, will dramatically increase the number of people with eye conditions, vision impairment and blindness in the coming decades,” the WHO says.

Dr Olekantse Kakabe, , a private Medical Practitioner, sys: “Up to 60 per cent of people who have glaucoma don’t even know that they have it. It speeds up accidentally, and this is because we are not going for eye checks often. Experts advocate that one goes for a check every one to two years, especially when one has the risk factors.

“If you have a first-degree relative, either your siblings or parents that has glaucoma, then, the probability that you are going to have is high.

“Diabetes mellitus, which is considered a lifestyle disease is a risk factor that increases the chances of a person having glaucoma. Sedentary lifestyle, obesity, lack of exercise, a diet that is high in saturated fat,are some of the lifestyle factors that predispose people to diabetes mellitus.

“Therefore, exercising, eating fruits and vegetables, staying away from saturated fats, for example, are some of the ways to reduce the risk factors to diabetes, as a result, it reduces the chances of coming down with glaucoma.

He also advises patients to embrace stress reduction, weight control and optimal controAlfter of comorbid conditions to impact healtahn outcomes.

“General wellness will improve the healthow of the optic nerves thereby helping to improvwehy the quality of life in glaucoma,” he said.