Keep an eye open on World Sight Day

Is your vision clear? Today (October 13) is World Sight Day.

More than three years ago, in May 2013, the Global Action Plan (GAP) for prevention of avoidable blindness and visual impairment was adopted.

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South Africa was a signatory to this plan; the vision was to create a world where comprehensive eye care was available to all, and no one was left needlessly sight impaired.

The untreatable genetic retinal conditions which affect thousands of South Africans were the focus of the patient-led advocacy group Retina South Africa.

According to Retina South Africa (RSA), the two most common forms of avoidable blindness are refractive error, which can be treated with spectacles, and Glaucoma, raised pressure in the eye which causes silent and irreversible damage.

However, RSA states South Africa is woefully behind international norms in eye care.

There are 64 state hospitals with eye clinics in South Africa, which equates to one clinic for every 800 000 people, and in some rural areas including Limpopo, a scant five ophthalmologists work in private and state hospitals.

“Compare this to Gauteng, which as 142 ophthalmologists working in 12 state and 51 private eye clinics, catering to 12,3 million people.”

For those with cash or medical aid, eye care in the private sector is excellent; for those who need access to underfunded state eye care, the position is critical.

A simple cataract operation can be done on an outpatient basis but in state hospitals, patients can wait up to two years for this operation.

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The Government has committed to establishing a national health plan, but with only 342 registered ophthalmologists for over 51 million people, it could take a decade to train enough skilled eye specialists to come slightly close to the desired density.

Here’s what you can do to protect your precious vision:

1. Avoid smoking – it increases the risk for both cataract and age related Macular Degeneration.

2. Follow a healthy diet, full of leafy green and multi-coloured veggies, coupled with oily fish twice weekly. This diet has shown good protective qualities for the retina.

3.  Protect yourself against high levels of sunlight (UVa and UVb). Never look directly into the sun, as this can cause permanent damage. Gazing for hours at the television, computer screen and your smart phone can cause eye strain.

It is also important to have regular eye checks, as increased ocular pressure (which can lead to Glaucoma) is easily detected by an optometrist, and responds well to early intervention.

Children should have an eye test after the age of three, and definitely before starting Grade One.

With obesity and diabetes on the rise, the risk of developing diabetic retinopathy is also increasing, and the only way of preventing this is to control blood/insulin levels and excessive weight gain in your younger years.

For more information, visit www.retinasa.org.za.