Prevention Of Blindness

Vision is one of the greatest gifts we have and we usually do not care much for it. Certain vision impairments can lead to blindness if they are not attended to on time. Did you know, 80% of all blindness is avoidable? So how can we prevent blindness and what can we eat for a better vision, let us read about it.

We are blessed with the gift of vision that allows us to see the beautiful world that we live in and to praise the beauty of mother nature, the birds, animals and all other living beings. But unfortunately, there are many people around the world who are either born blind or become blind as a result of the progression of certain vision impairment. If we talk about statistics, there are approximately 37 million blind people in the world and around 9 million of them are in India. Surprisingly, about 80% of all blindness is avoidable. Also, most people who have certain vision impairments are over the age of 50 years.

Understanding Blindness And Its Common Causes

Inability to see anything, even light is known as blindness and it usually begins with a visual impairment, which in most cases is preventable. Partial blindness refers to limited vision. Another term commonly used is Legal blindness, which means that the vision is highly compromised. Some of the causes of blindness are:

• Glaucoma
• Cataract
• Macular degeneration
• Diabetic retinopathy
• Uncorrected refractive errors
• Corneal opacity
• Trachoma
• Malnutrition

The World Health Organization states that among children, the causes of vision impairment vary considerably across countries. For example, in low-income countries, congenital cataract is a leading cause, whereas in middle-income countries it is more likely to be retinopathy of prematurity. As in adult populations, the uncorrected refractive error remains a leading cause of vision impairment in all countries amongst children.

8 Foods For A Better Vision

As much as the lifestyle affects a person’s overall health, what the person is eating too plays a very important role. Here is a list of food items that are best for your eyes:

1. Eggs
2. Almonds
3. Carrots
4. Oranges
5. Fish
6. Leafy green vegetables
7. Sunflower seeds
8. Legumes and beans

Tips To Prevent Vision Loss

Here are some of the preventive tips to avoid vision loss, as suggested by the American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO), with regard to the most common cause of blindness- Glaucoma:

• Exercise regularly.
• Eat a diet rich in fruits and vegetables, especially green, leafy ones.
• Drink coffee in moderation. Better yet, drink tea instead of coffee. A little coffee is fine, but excessive caffeine intake is not ideal. Don’t smoke.
• Maintain healthy body weight.
• Avoid inverted postures in yoga.
• Get screened regularly for glaucoma, especially if you have a family history of the condition

Apart from this,

• Wear sunglasses to protect your eyes from ultraviolet rays.
• Look away from the computer screen: Rest your eyes every 20 minutes, look 20 feet away for 20 seconds.
• Maintain proper hygiene: Wash your hands properly before rubbing your eyes or even touching your eyes.
• Go for regular eye check-ups.

India’s Initiative

India was the first country to launch the National Programme for Control of Blindness (NPCB) in 1976, as a 100% centrally sponsored Programme. According to the National Programme for Control of Blindness & Visual Impairment (NPCBVI) India, the following are the goals & objectives of NPCBVI in the XII Plan are;

1. To reduce the backlog of blindness through identification and treatment of blind at primary, secondary and tertiary levels based on an assessment of the overall burden of visual impairment in the country.
2. Develop and strengthen the strategy of NPCBVI for “Eye Health” and prevention of visual impairment; through the provision of comprehensive eye care services and quality service delivery.
3. Strengthening and up-gradation of RIOs to become the centre of excellence in various subspecialties of ophthalmology.
4. Strengthening the existing and developing additional human resources and infrastructure facilities for providing high-quality comprehensive Eye Care in all Districts of the country.
5. To enhance community awareness on eye care and lay stress on preventive measures.
6. Increase and expand research for the prevention of blindness and visual impairment.
7. To secure the participation of Voluntary Organizations/Private Practitioners in eye Care.

It also mentions that as per Survey in 2001-02, the prevalence of blindness is estimated to be 1.1%. A Rapid Survey on Avoidable Blindness conducted under NPCBVI during 2006-07 showed a reduction in the prevalence of blindness from 1.1% (2001-02) to 1% (2006-07).

COVID-19 And Eyes

We have been living with the COVID-19 pandemic for a while now and studies have shown that the virus can also spread through the eyes. Therefore, people need to be more precautious about. The droplets released in the air by an infected person’s cough, sneeze, etc. can enter another person’s body through the mouth, nose as well as eyes. Therefore, it is recommended that:

- One covers his/her eyes when visiting a crowded place. Wearing glasses can be helpful.

- People who prefer wearing contact lenses should consider switching over to glasses for some time.

- Avoid rubbing or touching your eyes without washing your hands.

- Do not skip your eye medications.

- Practice proper hygiene and physical distancing measures, especially when visiting an ophthalmologist (eye doctor).

- Tele-consultations are available. Therefore, avoid visiting a doctor unless extremely necessary.

Thus, eye health should not be ignored and people should go for regular eye check-ups, preferably once in 6 months. Also, healthy eating and lifestyle habits can prevent you from losing your vision.