Eye health checkups are extremely important, more than people realize. From diabetes to aging, there can be several risk factors that affect vision.
How many of us make eye health management a regular part of our fitness? Well, several of us are guilty of not paying enough attention to our eyes. The contemporary digital age has made it even more essential to keep your eyes healthy and moist. Recently, a doctor took to social media to emphasize the need to nourish our eyes and vision. Timely diagnosis of any disease can help prevent fatal outcomes. Better safe than sorry and regular medical checkups are one way to update your fitness levels and take necessary action.
Aging is a natural process and there is no way to stop it. However, you have to be more careful when it comes to health. According to an ophthalmologist at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi, adults aged 40 years should go for regular eye checkups. This can help prevent vision loss due to chronic eye diseases such as glaucoma. Glaucoma is attributed to one of the main causes of irreversible blindness worldwide. It is called the ‘silent thief of vision’ because this disease often has no symptoms.
On social media platform If left undetected, it can lead to vision loss and blindness. “Glaucoma, the ‘silent thief of sight,’ can cause irreversible vision loss if left undetected. If you have no symptoms and are over 40 years old, it is recommended that you have an eye checkup every two years,” Dada said.
He explained that glaucoma or kala motia is a disease of the optic nerve of the eye, which is the number one cause of irreversible blindness in the world.
Who is at risk?
People at risk of developing glaucoma include those with “diabetes, hypertension, and any family member with glaucoma.” “People who use steroids, creams, eye drops, tablets or inhalers or who have had an eye injury are also at high risk of developing this disease,” said the ophthalmologist.
According to several studies, reports and independent data from hospitals, glaucoma-related blindness continues to increase in India due to lack of awareness and delay in detection, reports IANS.
In many cases, about 90 percent of the time in India, the disease goes undetected. He highlighted the importance of regular eye check-ups, early diagnosis and effective management to safeguard vision throughout life.
“People at risk should have annual eye checkups to rule out glaucoma. If you are over 60 years old, an annual checkup is required. It is essential to prevent blindness caused by this disease,” Dada said.
(With IANS inputs)
