Eye Care Awareness Month is commemorated from September 21 to October 18 to raise awareness of the importance of eye health.
Local optometrist Thabang Mohlala Nagatikele (47) has implored the community to have their eyes examined.
She has worked as an optometrist for over 20 years and runs her own practice.
Nagatikele holds a Bachelor of Optometry degree and studied at the University of the North, which is now
known as the University of Limpopo.
“I wanted to be a pharmacist, but due to limited space, I had to opt for optometry. Now when I look back, I
feel like it was a blessing in disguise as I immediately fell in love with it.
“Awareness month is about educating the community about prevention of blindness and vision impairment, which in most cases, if detected early, can be prevented or managed,” explained Nagatikele.
About 50 per cent of vision loss and 80 per cent of blindness is avoidable through prevention or treatment, which
is why it is important to go for eye check-ups at least once a year.
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“For instance, things such as refractive error, which means that the shape of your eye does not bend the light
correctly which results in a blurred image, can be diagnosed by an optometrist during a routine examination.
“The main types of refractive errors are myopia, hyperopia, presbyopia and astigmatism, which can result in the patient having difficulty reading or seeing up close, blurred vision and so forth.
“With elderly people we look for things like cataracts, which according to the Eye Institute is one of the major
leading causes of blindness, and glaucoma, which is a disease of the eye in which fluid pressure within the eye
rises, and if not treated it can damage the nerve fibre and that person can lose their vision.
“Glaucoma patients must see an ophthalmologist,” she added.
According to Nagatikele, people with chronic illnesses, such as diabetics and hypertension, are more at risk.
“People who are diabetic, for example, may develop diabetic retinopathy which may lead to blindness, so it is much better to have such conditions detected as early as possible.
“Cataracts can also be easily treated with an operation.”
Also read: Laser eye surgery may be the answer for you
Common eye care misconceptions:
• There is no such thing as too young for glasses. If there is a problem it needs to be addressed regardless of age.
• Spending too much time staring at your computer screen, television, tablet or smartphone can have a negative impact on your eyes – take five to 10 minutes breaks when working on or watching your screen.
• Invest in a good pair of shades when outdoors or driving.
• Opt for sunglasses labelled UV400.
• Carrots are a high source of vitamin A, which is good for the body; however, they are not an immediate cure for eye conditions.
Also read: World Retina Week focuses on good eye care
Symptoms to look out for:
• Headaches
• Blurry or double vision
• Dry or watery eyes
• Neck and shoulder pain
• Sore, tired, burning or itching eyes
• Increased sensitivity to light
Fun fact:
Blinking lubricates your eyes.
“Some people will report that their eyes are dry, which is mainly caused by the reduction of your blinking rate. The less you blink, the drier your eyes become. We use anti-reflective coating on glasses to reflect back the unnecessary light to reduce strain caused by computers,” explained Nagatikele.
From October 1 to 31, Nagatikele will be conducting free eye screening through appointments only; call 011 737 2522.
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