हिंदी
It is crucial to take serious precautions to safeguard retinal health since damaged retinas are unable to send clear signals to the brain, which can cause vision loss or impairment.
The macula, which provides the sharp, central vision required for reading, driving, and seeing fine detail, is located in the centre of the retina, a layer of nerve tissue in the back of your eye that receives light and transmits images to your brain.
Progressive retinal disorders can strike at a young age, but because of ignorance, people don’t get them diagnosed until they start exhibiting major symptoms. Age-related macular degeneration (AMD), which affects central vision and is more common in older people, and diabetic retinopathy (DR), which results in permanent blindness or vision loss in diabetics, are both progressive diseases that can cause significant vision loss or impairment if they are not treated accurately and at the appropriate time.
Because many are unaware of the ramifications of eye disorders, they frequently go undiagnosed for a long period. Nearly 30% of people in India—the country with the highest prevalence of diabetes—had diabetic retinopathy, and of them, 10–12% have vision-threatening diseases including macular edoema or proliferative diabetic retinopathy. As a result, it’s crucial to have thorough dilated eye exams performed by an optometrist or ophthalmologist in order to detect eye illnesses in their early stages and avoid vision loss. An annual, periodic eye exam is essential to provide prompt care and avoid vision loss, especially for elderly people and people with diabetes.
Self-preventative actions
A healthy lifestyle can considerably lower the chance of eye health issues. Foods containing zinc, copper, vitamin C, vitamin E, and beta-carotene have the potential to reduce the risk of age-related deterioration in eye health by 25%, according to the Age-Related Eye Disease Study (AREDS). Additionally, it is crucial to glance away for 20 seconds every 20 minutes at anything that is 20 feet away in order to prevent eyes from computer-related eye strain.
Modern medicines can reduce the risk of blindness in proliferative retinopathy and diabetic macular degeneration by around 98%2 if the eyes are treated early in the condition. For progressive retinal illnesses to be postponed or avoided, early detection and treatment are essential.
Doctors estimate that 2 million people worldwide suffer from inherited or acquired retinal illnesses related to genes. About 30–40% of the probability of developing diabetic retinopathy and age-related macular degeneration is influenced by genetic predisposition.
Ignoring retinal health can lead to not just excruciating agony but also to eventual blindness. Make sure you visit the ophthalmologist frequently if there is a history of eye disorders in your family, and combine this with the discipline to continue treatment and live a healthy lifestyle.
