Blindness Prevention

[Ms. Kathy]

Back to web version Thursday, Sep 20, 2007
Posted on Wed, Sep. 19, 2007
Aging population faces loss of vision
Eye professionals urge screenings to catch problems
By Jan A. Igoe
The Sun News
Ask an older person what tops their list of health concerns and you're likely to hear about heart disease, diabetes and cancer - but not vision loss. Poor sight is commonly written off as an inevitable consequence of aging.

According to the American Academy of Ophthalmology, one in three Americans will suffer some form of age-related eye disease by age 65, one in two by age 80, but few are concerned or even aware of their risk factors, such as family history, ethnicity, undiagnosed diabetes and glaucoma.

Because eye disease often advances without pain or symptoms, warning signs may go unnoticed until someone can't read a prescription bottle, drive to the store or look up a number in the phone book.

The academy recently launched "EyeSmart," a campaign to raise public awareness of eye diseases associated with aging, their risks and prevention.

"The whole program is to get people to think about eye disease in the same way that they think about breast and prostate cancer, diabetes and cardiovascular disease - making it an integral part of health care maintenance. Most Americans think they're not at risk [for vision loss], especially those who don't wear glasses," said Dr. Gail Royal, a local ophthalmologist who serves as clinical media consultant for the academy. "Some have never had any eye care. Very few think eye disease would incapacitate them and have economic bearing."

"The stark reality is that millions of people will suffer significant vision loss and blindness because they don't know the risks," Dr. H. Dunbar Hoskins Jr., executive vice president of the academy said in a release. That is why the group advocates regular eye disease screenings to help identify and treat problems at an early stage.

The academy urges all adults to get a baseline screening by an ophthalmologist at age 40, when vision changes often begin and bifocal prescriptions are the norm.

Nearly 80 percent of her patients at Coastal Eye Group are Medicare age, but Royal doesn't have to look further than her 79- and 80-year-old parents, Eileen and Joseph Millette of Murrells Inlet, to find age-related vision problems.

"I discovered evolving cataracts in both my parents. They've both undergone bilateral cataract surgery. My mom is being followed for macular degeneration, and my dad for diabetes and glaucoma," Royal said. "These are four of the five age-related eye diseases targeted in the 'EyeSmart' campaign."

By 2020, 43 million Americans will suffer significant vision loss or blindness, the academy predicts. Besides protecting the eyes from accidents, early detection and treatment of vision-threatening problems is the key to protecting one's sight and quality of life in later years.

"The primary reason people come to see us is their vision isn't what they'd like it to be. Many will come because they failed at the [Department of Motor Vehicles] and were told to get their eyes checked," Royal said. "They come into our office in denial. It's one of the most difficult things I do - telling people they can't drive anymore."

Learning to adjust

Levern Wilson, 64, formerly an avid outdoorsman and self-described workaholic, learned he had glaucoma while still in his 40s. Glaucoma affects more than 3 million people and is the most common cause of blindness among blacks like himself.

"It was dormant, so we didn't worry about it," said Wilson, who serves as president of the Conway chapter president of the National Federation for the Blind. "I lived life to the fullest and it all come tumbling down in 1993."

After a "light stroke" and nine failed surgeries to salvage his sight, Wilson became totally blind about five years ago. His ophthalmologist suspected that medications prescribed to treat his stroke inadvertently caused his glaucoma to become aggressive, Wilson said.

"Your medical doctor and your eye doctor have got to be on the same page. They should communicate," he said.

Wilson sold his home and 80-acre hunting lodge to move from Upstate New York to Conway. Forced to give up deep-sea fishing, hunting, traveling, car rallies and outdoor adventures, Wilson said he entertained thoughts of suicide. Now he helps others who are coping with lost vision.

"[Losing your sight] changes your whole way of living and thinking. Giving up driving ... that was almost like giving up eating. It was devastating," Wilson said. "I used to travel all over. The scenery is not there anymore. It's not something that you never get used to, no matter what they tell you."

Betty Cain, who will be 84 next week, has been legally blind for almost 40 years. She inherited Stargardts disease, which causes early-onset macular degeneration. Cain leads the Low Vision Support Group at the Grand Strand Senior Center, which has about 60 people on its mailing list, although transportation issues keep most from attending monthly meetings.

"For people who have been very independent all their lives, [vision loss] is very traumatic. We try to help each other through that," Cain said. "We don't feel that we are handicapped. We have an inconvenience and a challenge."

Cain, who once taught fourth grade, can't watch television, read books or gauge distance when stepping off a curb. But she's learned to use a computer, listens to talking books and considers herself lucky to have her peripheral vision and "angels all over the place" who take her to doctors and stores.

"When problems are caught early, your outcome is likely to be better," said Royal, who has been practicing ophthamology for 15 years. "I'm truly amazed at how much has changed. We have so many treatments that are new and have such great promise. If you start early, you're going to know what you need."

Contact JAN A. IGOE at [e-mail] or 626-0366.



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If you go
What | White Cane Safety Day. October is "Meet the Blind" month.

When | 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Oct. 15

Where | S.C. School for the Deaf and Blind, Coastal Regional Outreach Center, 212 Main St., Conway

Detail | Participants wear goggles to simulate glaucoma, macular degeneration and other vision impairments.

Information | Call 248-8100

Resources

Conway

S.C. Commission for the Blind

www.sccb.state.sc.us 248-2017

S.C. School for the Deaf and Blind/Coastal Regional Outreach 212 Main St. 248-8100

National Federation of the Blind/Conway Chapter

Levern Wilson 236-0327

Myrtle Beach

Low Vision Support Group meets on third Wednesday of every month. Betty Cain 651-3328; [e-mail]


Glaucoma | A leading cause of blindness in the U.S., causes damage to the optic nerve fiber. Family history, ethnicity, age, steroid use and health issues such as migraines play a role.

Cataract | Clouding of the eye's naturally clear lens, like a window that is frosted or yellowed. Family history is a factor.

Diabetic retinopathy | High blood-sugar levels can damage retinal blood vessels, the layer of nerve tissue at the back of the eye. Diet, uncontrolled blood sugar and disease duration are factors.

Dry eye | The eye bathes itself in tears, but insufficient tear production can compromise comfort and health. Women are particularly vulnerable after menopause.

Age-related macular degeneration | Breakdown of macula in the back of the eye that provides sharp, central vision needed for reading, driving and seeing fine detail. Family history, age, smoking, obesity and hypertension are risk factors.

Recommendations

The academy urges that adults without signs or risk factors for eye disease get a baseline eye disease screening at age 40, when early signs of disease and vision changes begin. Follow up at intervals recommended by your eye doctor.

People of African descent or with a family history of glaucoma should have an eye examination every three to five years from ages 20-29; every two to four years from ages 30 to 39.

Regular medical eye exams can help prevent unnecessary vision loss.

Source: American Academy of Ophthalmology "EyeSmart" campaign, www.geteyesmart.org

Source Link: MyrtleBeachOnline.com www.myrtlebeachonline.com

[Ms. Kathy]

Grants To Improve Eye Health Care, Australia
24 Sep 2007

The Commonwealth Government has awarded more than 2.1 million dollars to 13 organisations to improve eye health care under the National Eye Health Initiative.

The grants program aims to improve quality, safety and access to eye health care, particularly for disadvantaged groups and people in rural and remote communities.

The National Eye Health Initiative was announced in the 2006-07 Budget, following the release in November 2005 of the National Framework for Action to Promote Eye Health and Prevent Avoidable Blindness and Vision Loss.

The framework encourages governments, health professionals, non-government organisations, industry and the community to work together on eye care issues, with an emphasis on preventing and treating avoidable vision loss.

The National Eye Health Initiative funding of $13.8 million over fours year is in addition to the $600 million that the Commonwealth Government spends every year on eye health care in areas such as ophthalmological and optometric services, pharmaceutical products and vision-related research.

A second round of funding is being made available under the Eye Health Demonstration Grants Program for projects that trial and evaluate innovative approaches to the delivery of eye health care in Australia. This round was advertised in early September 2007 and applications are due by 26 October. Details are available at www.health.gov.au/tenders.

A list of successful applicants is attached.

Eye Health Demonstration Grants First-Round Funding

- $197,500 to the Association for the Blind of Western Australia, for a trial and evaluation of innovative methods of eye health education.

- $191,800 to CanDo4Kids - Townsend House, South Australia, to conduct a pilot of a new eye health and low-vision initiative for children and their families through the Children's Centres for Early Childhood Development and Parenting across the state.

- $159,970 to the Canning Division of General Practice, Western Australia, to engage an Aboriginal Eye Health Worker to improve the coordination of eye health and vision care for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander clients in mainstream general practice.

- $199,810 to the Curtin University of Technology, Perth, for a trial and evaluation of self-management approaches to managing eye disease and injury.

- $75,300 to Glaucoma Australia, to undertake a glaucoma outreach project in northern Queensland and the Northern Territory.

- $200,000 to the Guide Dogs Association of South Australia and Northern Territory, to undertake a pilot to improve the coordination of eye health and vision care services for older people in communities across South Australia.

- $198,896 to the International Centre for Eyecare Education, University of New South Wales, for a training program to develop the skills and knowledge of Aboriginal eye health workers in the Northern Territory.

- $198,550 to the Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Melbourne, for a pilot project to determine the effectiveness of childhood vision screening for Australia.

- $199,656 to the National Ageing Research Institute, Melbourne, to identify the magnitude of vision impairment and its interaction with environmental problems for older people in residential care in metropolitan and regional Victoria.

- $29,925 to the Queensland Vision Initiative, to undertake an eye health and vision care referral pathways project in metropolitan Brisbane.

- $92,800 to the Royal Guide Dogs Association of Tasmania, for a pilot project to improve the coordination of eye health and vision care across Tasmania.

- $200,000 to the Royal Victorian Eye and Ear Hospital, to trial and evaluate shared care arrangements in managing glaucoma, diabetic eye disease and age-related macular degeneration.

- $197,800 to the University of Western Australia, Perth, to pilot an integrated telemedicine project to provide specialist eye care services.

www.health.gov.au/
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Article URL: www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/83428.php

[Ms. Kathy]

[If you should visit the site at the source link you may recall the young man, gary Boggs was one of the featured wounded servicemen on the HBO special hosted by The Soprano's James Gandolfini.]

House focusing on eye injuries in combat bill
Source Link: USA Today www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2007-10-03-eyes_N.htm

By Craig R. Bailey, for USA TODAY

Gary Boggs, a veteran who lost an eye in the Iraq war, stands on the porch of his home in Melbourne Beach, Fla. He also suffers from traumatic brain injury. Army ophthalmologists say eye damage constitutes 10.7% to 13% of all wounds that require evacuation from Iraq or Afghanistan.


By Gregg Zoroya, USA TODAY
Eye trauma, from sight impairment to blindness, is now among the most common wounds for U.S. troops engaged in combat.
At least 1,126 U.S. troops in Iraq and Afghanistan have suffered eye wounds requiring surgery, with half incurring temporary blindness in one or both eyes, according to Army statistics.

Eye damage constitutes from 10.7% to 13% of all serious wounds suffered by U.S. troops in Iraq and Afghanistan that require evacuation from the war zone, say current and former Army ophthalmologists.

That is the highest percentage for eye wounds for any major conflict dating back to World War I, according to 1997 research published in the Survey of Ophthalmology.

Because of the increasing number of eye injuries, lawmakers have introduced bipartisan legislation to create a $5 million Pentagon-based center for research and treatment of damaged eyes. The bill would also create a registry to track wounds and their treatment.

"It still is hard for us to understand how such a significant injury as combat eye wounds could have been below everyone's radar screen for four years of war," said Thomas Zampieri,director of government relations for the 12,000-member Blinded Veterans Association. He's scheduled to testify today before the House Committee on Veterans' Affair.

Rep. John Boozman, R-Ark., an optometrist and co-sponsor of the eye-wound legislation, said, "The more data we can obtain, the better off we'll be."

The number of eye injuries may be larger in Iraq because the casualty data is incomplete for each year of that war and includes almost no figures for 2007, said Col. Robert Mazzoli, ophthalmology consultant to the Army surgeon general. But even the current tally is double the 650 troops who have suffered major amputations, which includes anything more than a finger or toe.

Doctors say insurgent roadside bomb, grenade and mortar attacks send hundreds of pieces of flying metal that cause many of the eye wounds.

Since 2004, the Army and Marines have required all soldiers to wear eye protection. Such protection, however, doesn't always block blast effects, which cause 80% of eye injuries, the Army says.

Placing fully equipped ophthalmologists into battlefield hospitals has saved troops' eyes, said retired Army Col. Thomas Ward, an ophthalmologist. Full or partial sight is restored in most cases.

Where soldiers in Vietnam stood a 50-50 chance of losing an eye, eye removal is now down to 13%, according to Ward and Army Maj. Eric Weichel, an eye surgeon.

The proposed bill would help track what can be a series of restorative surgeries for eye cases so military doctors and the Department of Veterans Affairs can understand the servicemember's full medical history.

[Ms. Kathy]

Kodiak Lions Club purchases $12,000 cameras for infant, child vision care
Source Link: KodiakDailyMirror.com :: Daily newspaper of Kodiak, Alaska www.kodiakdailymirror.com/?pid=19&id=5319
Article published on Monday, Oct 08th, 2007
By DEANNA COOPER
Mirror Writer
Local optometric physician and longtime Lions Club member Jerimiah Myers met with Gov. Sarah Palin, Lt. Gov. Sean Parnell and the head of staff of Providence Children’s Hospital in Anchorage, Dr. Robert Arnold, in late August to discuss the Alaska Blind Child Discovery (ABCD) program.

The project identifies visual problems with yearly screening for children from infants to grade school.

The Lions Club, the State of Alaska and Providence Hospital Pediatrics sponsor the project.

The project first used Polaroid cameras. For about 10 years, the Lions Club set up visual screening during the holidays, such as when children gathered to sit on Santa’s lap. The camera was able to detect a red eye reflex that can be diagnostic for an existing problem.

Through the Lions Club, Myers bought a dozen new vision-screening cameras from Germany. They cost $12,000 each and are able to diagnose on a broader level by identifying and measuring refractive error.

“They are kind of like auto refractors they use in the military, but (they) look more like a timing light,” Myers said.

The camera makes noises to attract an infant’s attention and then measures the shape of the eye.

“For infants up to pre-school is what we’re shooting the program toward,” Myers said. “Neurogically, if you miss that child in the first three years, there’s really no hope of them ever having full neuro. We might be able to pull the cataracts out and they can see to get around, but you need that information of reflex and neuro-response to grow right.

“For the last eight years, everytime there is Santa Claus at the gymnasium or gatherings we have done at Safeway, we shoot every child at various events with our old Polaroid camera.”
The Lions Club motto is “Let no child go unaided” from Helen Keller’s speech to the blind in 1925 at the United Nations.

“The Lions took in this project as knights of the blind,” Myers said. “We’re working with preventable blindness around the world, but we’ve never been able to address the children.”

Myers has a young patient he is currently seeing whose problem was discovered by one of these cameras.

“This is so definitive. It’s going to make such a difference,” he said. “We are the volunteers and the state is going to market us just like they do with ‘Click it or ticket.’ The governor is going to make a promotion series of videos and Providence Hospital will create and manage a database.”

The Lions Club collects used eyeglasses year round. They can be dropped off at either optometrist in town and on the Coast Guard Base. Any Lions Club member can accept used glasses.

The majority of eyeglasses collected in Kodiak are cleaned, categorized and sent to South America. They are distributed by Lions Clubs members with the help of eye doctors who are doing their internship.

Myers said he knows of a situation in Paraguay where a whole family shares one pair of eyeglasses.

Mirror writer Deanna Cooper can be reached via e-mail at [e-mail].

[Ms. Kathy]

Prize your eyes
Learn how to protect your vision as you get older
By Barb Berggoetz
[e-mail]
November 13, 2007


Your mother probably told you it all:
Reading in dim light is bad for your eyes. So is sitting too close to the TV. And eat some carrots -- they'll improve your vision.
But this advice isn't exactly on target. Smoking, alcohol and caffeine are actually harder on your eyes than sitting in front of the TV or straining to read in bad light. And broccoli, spinach and other leafy green vegetables are better for your eyesight than carrots.
Americans have a lot of misconceptions about eye health, these among them. But it pays to see straight: As baby boomers grow older, age-related eye diseases that can cause vision loss or blindness are expected to increase dramatically -- from 28 million now to 43 million by 2020, according to the American Academy of Ophthalmology.
And don't think your 20/20 means you're in the clear.
"Those who do have good vision are at the same risk of developing eye disease as those who don't," said Dr. Louis B. Cantor, professor of glaucoma research and education and director of glaucoma service in the Indiana University Department of Ophthalmology.
More than half of all Americans will have some form of eye disease as they get older. But a 2007 academy survey found the vast majority of Americans don't think they are at risk for getting eye diseases and don't even know the risk factors linked with them.
"A lot of it can be prevented and controlled if diagnosed early," says Cantor.
The worst eye disease risks are age-related macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy and glaucoma, says Dr. Marjorie Knotts, a Northeastside optometrist.
The risk of macular degeneration wasn't one Alice Holy had been aware of until her optometrist told her more than 10 years ago she had it.
"It was like a bomb dropped on me," said Holy, 91, who lives with her daughter, Anne Holy, in Indianapolis. Alice Holy had been seeing her optometrist regularly, but the disease became evident only after a cataract was removed.
Now, she has trouble recognizing people and has given up playing the piano, cooking and driving.
She uses a walker to prevent her from falling, takes vitamin supplements that may prevent further vision loss, attends church, listens to books on tape and writes letters to friends.
"I have a magnifier and I can read what I write with it," she said.
Macular degeneration, which isn't associated with a systemic disease, causes blurriness and dark spots in the middle of the vision field. If left undetected, it can cause irreversible vision loss.
An eye exam can detect the disease before noticeable vision problems, said Cantor. The "wet" type of macular degeneration, with leakage from blood vessels under the retina, can be treated with medications injected into the eye or with lasers to stop leakage. Damage caused by the "dry" type can sometimes be stabilized by taking certain nutritional supplements and anti- oxidant vitamins, including A, C and E.
The link between general good health and good eye health is strong, eye doctors say. "Controlling weight and blood pressure, not smoking, exercising and having a healthy diet are all keys to having good eye health, as well as good physical health," said Cantor.
Anything you do that's good for the heart, said Knotts, is good for your eyes because it helps the eyes' blood vessels -- important to sight. For example, exercise lowers eye pressure, which can reduce glaucoma risk. Diabetics who keep blood sugar levels under control lessen the chance of retinopathy, causing vision specks, and blindness.
While research attention has focused on supplements and antioxidant-rich food to stave off macular degeneration, new studies indicate diets low in refined carbs could help, too. Tufts University researchers think that excess sugar from refined carbs makes proteins in cells toxic and prevents the proteins from doing their job. The end result: vision loss.
An eye exam should include dilation and an examination of the back of the eye. Eye doctors can detect glaucoma before vision is affected and treat it. They can see evidence of some brain tumors, early signs of multiple sclerosis, diabetes and stroke.
"The eye is the window to the body," said Cantor. "People now expect to be active longer. Part of that is being smart with your health, including being eye smart."

---

Source Link: IndyStar.com www.indystar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071113/LIVING01/711130307/-1/LOCAL17

[Ms. Kathy]

Sightsavers Christmas Appeal
Monday, 26th November 2007
Sun 25 Nov 2007

Modern miracles
ALEXANDER MCCALL SMITH
WE ARE all used to appeals to patch up the world in various ways. Most of these are worthy and benefit those whose cause they espouse. And the results can be immediate and vivid: money that we in the rich world - and that's us, whether or not we recognise ourselves in that description - send to support village projects in Africa or help for the growing legions of Aids orphans in afflicted countries can mean an immense amount at the receiving end. Yet people might be forgiven for feeling that the world's need is never-ending, insatiable and all we are doing is applying sticking plasters.

And then along comes an organisation like Sightsavers International, working to alleviate blindness worldwide, and that doubt about our capacity to help evaporates. Here is something that can be done to bring spectacular and obvious relief to people suffering from one of the most distressing of conditions - the loss of sight. More to the point, perhaps, here is something that can be done to prevent that distress before it occurs.

Anyone who travels in the countries in which Sightsavers operates will know how common blindness is. My own familiarity with the problem is based mainly on my African experience: I travel regularly in sub-Saharan Africa, and speak to people involved in health work in countries in the region. What strikes me from these conversations is mainly the difficulties that doctors and public health officials there have in deciding which problem to tackle first. This has always been a dilemma in countries where resources are limited, but it became immensely more difficult once Aids struck. Suddenly, countries that had been making progress in tackling disease, such as tuberculosis, found themselves knocked back to square one virtually overnight. The threat posed by Aids was simply so great that it was difficult to allocate any funds to anything else. Hospital wards were more or less entirely filled by Aids patients, and drug budgets gobbled up by the demands of people afflicted by that cruel condition. In many African countries, health systems snapped under the strain.

One consequence of that is that the amount of money available for anything else was increasingly squeezed. Eye disease was one such area that suffered as a result of the Aids disaster - when health workers are struggling to bring relief to the dying, those who have non-life-threatening conditions must expect to take second place. So, even if small sums can transform eye health, these small sums simply cannot be spared.

Sightsavers exists to fill that gap. Not only does it provide valuable instruction that helps to encourage people to avoid eye infection, but it provides the simple and effective drugs which stop the progression of diseases that will cost people their sight. And then, for a very small sum, it pays for operations which restore the sight of those with reversible blindness. Sight returns - and lives are transformed. All for a tiny amount.

There surely can be few greater gifts than that of the restoration of sight. Close your eyes for a moment and imagine it. Imagine being unable to see your family; unable to see what is going on in the world around you. Imagine, then, the feeling when some stranger comes along and performs an operation on your eyes and gives you back the ability to see. Imagine being that stranger. Not everyone has the skill to do that work, but we can all be the stranger who reaches into his or her pocket and gives the few coins that pay for the drugs or for the surgeon who performs the cataract operation.

It is tempting, I suppose, when considering the suffering of Africa, to point out that aid has been poured into that continent, and things just seem to go from bad to worse. There is some truth in that - a great deal of foreign aid has been wasteful and counter-productive. But the help that Sightsavers and organisations of its sort give on the ground is very different. This is aid that cannot really be diverted to improper purposes; this is aid that can be seen to have the most dramatic and positive effect.

"Bid the sickness cease" was the optimistic rallying call of earlier medical missionaries in Africa. Well, that has not proved possible. But, in little corners, things are being done which are transforming lives and bringing the most profound relief - and joy - to people in immediate and often painful need. The restoration of sight to each person must be, quite frankly, a miracle. What follows in this special report shows us how those miracles are worked and how each of us can assist.

Web link

Sightsavers
www.sightsavers.org/
Related topic

Sightsavers Christmas Appeal
news.scotsman.com/topics.cfm?tid=726
This article: news.scotsman.com/topics.cfm?tid=726&id=1844522007

Last updated: 25-Nov-07 00:26 GMT

[Ms. Kathy]

Donating corneas - a humanitarian act that should be encouraged
Source Link: Vietnam latest news - Thanh Nien Daily www.thanhniennews.com/others/?catid=13&newsid=34010

Donating corneas - a humanitarian act that should be encouraged

Donating corneas after death is a humanitarian act that restores the sight of blind patients with cornea disease yet is still an act unfamiliar to many Vietnamese people.
The benefits of a new cornea to sufferers of the disease are immeasurable, not only for the individual patient, but also for their families and communities.

Therefore, a national campaign promoting cornea donations should be launched.

Vietnam’s first eye bank was established in 2006 with the support of ORBIS International, a nonprofit humanitarian organization that aims to eliminate avoidable blindness and restore sight in developing countries.

The bank receives corneas and distributes them to ophthalmologists who then transplant them for those in need.

Thousands of people have registered to donate their corneas after death.

However, this number is still limited when compared with approximately 300,000 patients who are suffering from cornea disease nationwide.

So far, donating corneas is unfamiliar to most Vietnamese people.

Many think that doctors will remove their entire eyes if they want to donate their corneas after passing away.

In fact, corneas are only the transparent convex membrane that covers the pupil and iris of the eye.

Con Thoi Village in the northern province of Ninh Binh is considered a good example of a donation movement that could be applied nationwide.

Nguyen Thi Hoa, 83, volunteered to give her corneas to doctors of the Central Eye Hospital eye bank with a local priest as her witness.

After this, the priest mobilized parishioners to follow her example, with many responding by registering their donations.

A broad campaign, possibly through the media, popularizing the notion of donating corneas is essential.

As seen by the example of Hoa, older people are sometimes very generous and the campaign should begin by focusing upon them.

Through a nationwide campaign, the number of available corneas for transplantation would increase and blindness caused by cornea diseases would be reduced.

Reported by Quoc Phong


Story from Thanh Nien News
Published: 11 December, 2007

[Ms. Kathy]

We Are 37m Times Blind
Source Link: Vanguard On Line Edition www.vanguardngr.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=4466&Itemid=0

Monday, 14 January 2008
MINISTER of Health Professor Adenike Granges told an audience in Benin City that 37 million Nigerians were blind. Ordinarily, it should be shocking that 26.42 per cent of our population has sight problems, but it was not because we are blind to the implications of this revelation.

It means that at least one out of every four Nigerians, is either blind or has serious vision impairment that would lead to blindness. The consequences of blindness to individuals, their families and the larger community are too profound for blindness to get scant attention – yet it gets less.

The indications are all over the place. There are only 29 schools dedicated to teaching blind people and many of them do not have modern facilities that can teach the blind skills that can help them live in our society.

As poverty grows, new illnesses prosper, fake drugs abound and medical facilities decrease in their relevance to the lives of the people, genetics, injuries, have joined river blindness in fostering the cause of blindness. There are no clear programmes to stem the scourge.

The minister needs to do more than stating the statistics, they will not get us very far. In a country that has become immune to bad news, in a matter of days the number of the blind would be forgotten, may be overtaken by another more startling discovery about the lowering quality of living in this nation. There are always other aspects of our national life that may be more rattling news than the figures of the blind.

By World Health Organisation 2002 figures of 161 million people in the world, Nigeria harbours almost a quarter of the world’s population of blind and vision impaired people. It is a large number for one country.

The condition can be reversed through national programmes that promote nutritional attitudes that enhance vision. The provision of more facilities for operating cataract patients, who in the absence of adequate treatment lose their sights, will also help.

Some organisations offer free cataract surgeries, these are commendable efforts that need to be expanded to get to more people. Poverty, inadequate information and access to these treatments pose challenges for the rural population.

Malnutrition, among children, exposes them to many illnesses, some of which could lead to sight impairment in later life. Nigerian children are the biggest victims of the poverty that is raging through the land. Their poor parents cannot look after them. Poverty exposes them to various illnesses and early employment, most of them unsuitable for their age.

Discrimination against the blind, the lack of employment opportunities even for the educated ones among them, are needless burdens the blind bear.

Once government realises the social and economic consequences of a large number of Nigerians suffering visional impairment, it will find the political will to treat blindness as a national emergency – not just on paper.

[Ms. Kathy]

The Eyes Have it
By Martha Bauman
Source Link: New Hampshire Magazine www.nh.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080301/NHM08/679678059/-1/NHM01

If your eyes are functioning well, it’s easy to take good vision for granted. But that would be a mistake. As changes can occur in other systems of the body, so also can eyes sustain injury or develop problems at any point in the lifespan, says Dr. Christopher Chapman, section chief in the Ophthalmology Department at Dartmouth Medical Center.

Even newborn infants can have problems, he says. Premature infants are at risk of retinopathy of prematurity. If not diagnosed and treated promptly, there is a risk for early and rapidly advancing glaucoma and/or blindness. The condition is difficult to identify at the early stage but a new technique for microscopic inspection is “on the horizon.”

Children are especially vulnerable to ocular trauma. Dr. Chapman is emphatic about the need to wear protective eyewear for sports. A blow to the head can lead to bleeding inside the eye and increased risk for eye disease. Prevention and safety education should be included in all sports programs, and Chapman urges parents to raise this issue if it is not being addressed.

New procedures offer new ways to deal with the common vision problems of myopia (nearsightedness) and hyperopia (farsightedness), conditions that result from variations in the shape of the eye, not from a disease process. Many people come to Dartmouth Hitchthingy’s Laser Vision Center for Lasik surgery to reduce dependence on corrective lenses. In this procedure a laser beam reshapes the cornea to achieve the refraction needed to correct either near or farsightedness. The change is permanent. But Lasik is not for everyone — people with refractory instability (frequent changes in corrective lenses), are under age 25 or have an eye disease would not be good candidates.

Toric lenses make it possible for people with astigmatism to wear contacts. A toric lens is not a perfect sphere, but rather has a slightly elongated curve on two sides. This allows for the two kinds of correction needed. Lens implants, typically used to replace a lens clouded by cataract, may also be used for refractory correction. “The technology changes so fast,” says Chapman, “that journals are out of date in six months.”

Conditions that develop over time include cataracts, glaucoma and macular degeneration. “Though more common after age 50,” Dr. Chapman says, “they can occur earlier. I recommend eye examinations every two or three years in your 40s.”

A cataract is a lens that has become opaque, or cloudy. This opaque film interferes with vision and can lead to blindness if not treated. Fortunately, says Dr. Chapman, surgery is safe and effective. The lens is surgically removed, using high frequency ultrasound. Operating time is brief and can be performed in an outpatient setting. A high-grade plastic lens is inserted immediately and usually fits in perfectly. Any surgery, however, carries some risk. The risks in cataract surgery include possible swelling in the macula and inflammation. But with new medications and anti-inflammatory drugs, even complications are easier to treat, Dr. Chapman says.

There has been an increase in diagnosis and treatment of cataracts, which is attributed primarily to an aging population and better options for treatment. Causal factors may include excessive exposure to ultraviolet light, a history of smoking, presence of diabetes and genetic predisposition.

Macular degeneration, often called age-related macular degeneration, is much more prevalent among persons age 65 and older. With the more prevalent “dry form,” the center of the inner lining of the eye, the macular area of the retina, thins and atrophies. Gradually, central vision is lost. There is as yet no treatment for cataracts but vitamin therapy with high doses of certain antioxidants seems to slow the progression.

In the vascular or “wet form” of macular degeneration, there is blood and protein leakage below the macula. A rapid loss of vision occurs. Until recently there was no treatment. Now the administration of anti-VEGF agents (Vascula Endothalial Growth Factor) has been shown to achieve regression of abnormal blood vessels and some improvement in vision. The drugs are injected directly into the eye, but Dr. Chapman expects they will be available in drop form within five years.

Glaucoma is actually a cluster of diseases of the optic nerve. Worldwide, glaucoma is the second leading cause of blindness. It is more prevalent in older adults but may begin in early middle age and progress slowly, undetected over many years.

Damage to the optic nerve results in loss of peripheral vision. It is usually the resul
t of inadequate drainage of optic fluid. High optic pressure is a primary risk factor though low pressure does not eliminate the possibility of glaucoma and high pressure does not always indicate its presence.

There is no treatment that restores the damaged optic nerve. There are, however, treatments that can stop or slow the progression of the disease. For many patients, eye drops are effective. Laser treatment to improve drainage of optic fluid is often successful; surgery to increase drainage and lower optic pressure is another option.

Risk factors include age (over 50), family history of glaucoma and presence of diabetes or hypertension. African Americans and Hispanics are especially vulnerable to glaucoma.

Dr. Chapman is optimistic about ongoing research in ophthalmology. He states that in the next 20 years we will have identified the genes that are responsible for genetic eye diseases, such as retinitis pigmentosa, an inherited disease that usually begins in childhood or youth and causes degeneration of the rods and cones of the eye. Gene therapy and sophisticated nanotechnologies will make diagnosis more precise and treatment more effective.

Vision is a precious commodity at every age. What can we do to preserve our vision? Regular eye exams are important. Dr. Chapman suggests that one do an occasional at-home check of each eye separately. Cover first one eye, then the other, to make sure that one hasn’t changed. He says that our eyes work together to compensate for change, so decline in one eye may go unnoticed.

Maintaining good overall health is critical. Don’t smoke. Avoid excessive light exposure — wear good quality sunglasses for outdoor activities. Wear protective lenses for sports and activities such as cutting wood. Control blood pressure and blood sugar. Eat a diet rich in fruits and vegetables, low in saturated fats. A growing body of research indicates a connection between eye health and diet. Didn’t our mothers tell us to eat our carrots and spinach?

“Going into the eye is fascinating,” says Dr. Chapman, as he reflects on the intricate network that he sees in an examination. “The eye is a reflection of what’s going on in the body.” NH

[Ms. Kathy]

New hope in fight on blindness

by John McCann

Glasgow doctors have developed a new way to screen for eye damage - before patients even know they have a problem.

Stuart Parks and David Keating hope the early- warning technology could save the sight of people with some illnesses that could otherwise leave them blind.

The doctors, from the Tennent Institute of Ophthalmology at Gartnavel, have spent 14 years fine tuning their system, known as multifocal electrophysiology.

advertisementThey unveiled the device at a major international conference in Florida at the weekend.

The system, which has been compared to the ECG scan given to heart patients, can pick up tiny malfunctions the patient may not have noticed.

Patients wear a set of electrodes on their face and a tiny sensor under the eyelid.

An operator then stimulates the patient's eyes by flashing up images on a screen in front of them.

This causes the light-sensitive cells in the retina to fire tiny electrical impulses, and computer software developed by the doctors reads the impulses to measure eye function with incredible accuracy.

Dr Keating said: "This system takes measurements from several hundred areas of the retina.

"Disorders can be detected at an early stage and their progress monitored."

Doctors using the system connect a small device to a PC, and it's hoped this will soon be available to High Street opticians.

The doctors are working with Scottish Health Innovations Ltd to market the machine around the world.

It has an added advantage over traditional consultations that rely on interviewing the patient, as these can only detect more obvious damage, or problems that the patients have noticed for themselves.

Dr Keating said: "This technique is an objective test.

"All the others rely on what the patient tells you - and they won't necessarily understand what the problem is."

Publication date 29/04/08

Source Link: Evening Times. UK www.eveningtimes.co.uk/news/display.var.2231981.0.new_hope_in_fight_on_blindness.php

[Ms. Kathy]

UC San Diego Shiley Eye Center Physician Honored with Day of Recognition
After more than 20 years of service to the San Diego community, William R. Freeman, M.D., professor of ophthalmology at UC San Diego School of Medicine and Director of the UCSD Jacobs Retina Center adjacent to Shiley Eye Center, is being recognized by The Foundation Fighting Blindness as well as The City of San Diego.



(PressZoom) - After more than 20 years of service to the San Diego community, William R. Freeman, M.D., professor of ophthalmology at UC San Diego School of Medicine and Director of the UCSD Jacobs Retina Center adjacent to Shiley Eye Center, is being recognized by The Foundation Fighting Blindness as well as The City of San Diego.


On Wednesday, May 14, 2008, the Foundation Fighting Blindness ( FFB ) will honor Freeman with the Visionary Award at their inaugural San Diego Dining in the Dark. The Visionary Award celebrates extraordinary people and professionals who support efforts to find treatments and cures for vision loss, as well as individuals who have made a profound impact on their community.

Mayor Jerry Sanders of the City of San Diego has proclaimed Wednesday, May 14, 2008 "William R. Freeman, M.D. Day." The day recognizes Freeman's "outstanding professional and personal commitment toward improving the vision of those affected by retinal degenerative diseases."

Since coming to UC San Diego in 1986, Freeman has built a clinical and research enterprise of excellence known world-wide. The new Joan and Irwin Jacobs Retina Center supports a research team dedicated to attacking retinal diseases that cause blindness and vision loss. The center houses projects seeking to find solutions for people of all ages who suffer from retina problems, which include debilitating disorders such as macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy, tumors, and infectious and inherited diseases.

Freeman is a prolific researcher and noted clinician and surgeon devoted to thwarting vision-threatening eye diseases. Freeman’s research focus has included using gene therapy to restore eyesight; use of artificial retinas; new drug therapies; and improving surgical techniques and technologies that allow a more accurate diagnosis and treatment.

Freeman has published over 425 scientific papers, nearly 300 scientific abstracts, the highly regarded book Practical Atlas of Retinal Disease and Therapy, as well as numerous important medical chapters in the field of retina disease. He is listed among The Best Doctors in America, and serves on the editorial boards of many prestigious journals, including Retina, Ophthalmology, and the Journal of Uveitis and Ocular Inflamation. Freeman was also selected as the permanent President of the International Society of Ocular Infections.

"Dr. Freeman has long been and will continue to be an important innovator and contributor to the world of retinal diseases. All of us at Shiley Eye Center are proud to be associated with him," said Stuart Brown, M.D., professor and Chair of the UC San Diego Department of Ophthalmology, and director of the Shiley Eye Center.

“It is a great honor to receive this recognition from FFB and from our Mayor,” said Freeman. “We at the Jacobs Retina Center have been working hard to advance treatments for patients with retinal disease. This award is a validation of that work. We hope to work closely with FFB, the NIH, and our university colleagues here at UC San Diego, as well as other institutions in San Diego, and our local biotechnology community to pursue the best treatments for patients with retinal disease. We are utilizing the most advanced basic scientific techniques and clinical trials methodologies to advance these goals. This award will be shared with all of my colleagues here at the Jacobs Retina Center, without whom our progress would not be possible.”

About Dining in the Dark

The inaugural San Diego Dining in the Dark event will be held Wednesday, May 14, 2008, at The US Grant, 326 Broadway, San Diego, CA 92101. Wine tasting and silent auction begin at 5:30 p.m. followed by dinner and awards at 7:00 p.m.

Dining in the Dark is a unique sensory awareness experience that takes guests on a journey of tastes, sounds and touch, completely in the dark. Created in Germany, Dining in the Dark is a one-of-a-kind concept that has been enjoyed by many people across Europe and has been creating a buzz in the United States in recent years. Visually impaired servers will guide guests through an unforgettable dining experience that will allow participants to understand the darkness of daily life for those affected by blindness.

Proceeds from this event will benefit more than nine million Americans who are losing their sight to degenerative retinal diseases such as age-related macular degeneration, retinitis pigmentosa, Usher syndrome, and other similar diseases.

UC San Diego Shiley Eye Center

From basic eye exams to the most advanced diagnostic tests and sophisticated surgery, the physicians and staff at the UC San Diego Shiley Eye Center provide comprehensive eye care at one convenient location. Patients with complex retinal disease seen at the Shiley Eye Center are often managed at the Jacobs Retina Center where new therapies and clinical trials are available.

Built in 1991, the Shiley Eye Center is home to academic and basic research, innovative and unique surgical practices and patient treatment for a wide variety of ophthalmologic concerns. The Division of Community Ophthalmology programs reach out to bring eye testing to the San Diego Head Start Program and Public Schools with the EyeMobile for Children, in an effort to serve members of our community of all ages who face challenges associated with poor, restricted vision. A self-management educational program helps those who are afflicted with Macular Degeneration providing the means to cope with the illness and its side effects so that they can better function within society.

Media Contacts:

Karen Anisko, Shiley Eye Center
[e-mail]
619-534-8017

Kim Edwards, UC San Diego
[e-mail]
619-543-6163

[Ms. Kathy]

Source: Posted By Stabroek News On May 11, 2008 @ 5:03 am In - Stabroek News - www.stabroeknews.com -

Eye donation: The gift of sight
By Dr Neeraj Jain, MBBS, MD (ophthalmology), DNB, MNAMS
What is eye donation?

The most transparent part of the eye which is in front of the eye is called the cornea. If this becomes opaque (due to diseases such as an ulcer, infection or injury) it stops or reduces light transmission into the eye. This condition is called corneal blindness. To treat corneal blindness, the diseased cornea is replaced with a new transparent cornea. The only source of a transparent cornea is donated corneal tissue from the human race. The most important fact that makes donation possible is that the cornea is alive even after death, and can be used successfully if retrieved soon after the death of a person.

When a person decides to donate his/her eyes after death, the eye will be collected by a team from the eye bank and that is why it is called eye donation. We will discuss this procedure in detail later.

What is corneal transplant?

The donor eye provides the functional transparent cornea and this is used to replace the opaque and non functional cornea. So this whole procedure is called an eye donation (for the donor) and corneal transplant (for the recipient).

Why is eye donation needed?

The only substitute for a human cornea is another human cornea donated after death by someone. Corneal blindness is a curable type of blindness, and only donated corneas can help these blind people see again.

Importantly, patients who have complications after cataract surgery suffer from loss of transparency of the cornea. A cornea transplant helps to restore sight to such patients.

Can all blindness be cured by eye donation?

No, only the cornea (clear, front part of the eye) is used for corneal transplants. Only persons with corneal blindness can be cured with a corneal transplant. Other reasons for loss of sight (glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy, etc) cannot be treated by cornea transplant. The sclera (white part) can sometimes be used for sight-saving surgery as well.

Who can donate eyes?

Almost everyone can donate his or her eyes. Eye donation can be done at any age.

Can I donate my eyes if I wear glasses?

Yes, you can! People who have poor vision and wear glasses, or have had previous eye diseases or surgery can still donate, since these conditions may not affect the cornea. Eyes donated to the Eye-Bank that are not medically suitable for transplant may be used for medical research and education. For example if you have had LASIK surgery you can donate for certain kinds of transplant surgery (endothelial graft).

How can I be an eye donor?

One would need to be willing for eye donation, as it is a voluntary act. When you are alive you can inform your family members and relatives about your desire. Another way to express your desire is to get an eye donation card and keep it in a visible place. Making a will is not enough, as, usually by the time the will is read; it’s too late to utilize the cornea.
The best way is to express your desire to all your family members and ask them to fulfil this wish after your death. It is possible to make a donation even without making a written pledge by informing your family of your intentions. They can then make the donation on your behalf.

What is the procedure of eye donation?

After death, someone would need to inform the nearest eye bank. The eye bank team asks the family to sign a consent for the donation. If that is done, both the eye balls will be removed by eye surgeons and the whole procedure takes 20-25 minutes.

After death the person in possession of your body is the sole authority on the donation. He can refuse on any ground. So it is always advisable to inform your family members about your wish.

Will we be able to have an open-casket funeral?

Yes. No one will know there has been an eye donation unless you tell them. Very rarely there may be a bit of swelling, but otherwise there should be no visible signs following donation. After death, lids are closed so people would rarely be aware of the change. If desired by relatives, artificial eyes are put in place for better cosmetic results after removal of the donor eyes.

What is the time limit after death for the donation?

The earlier the better. After death the body deteriorates very fast. The rate of deteriorations depends on environmental temperature and cause of death as well. Guyana has a hot climate, so the passage of every hour after death will reduce the quality of the cornea. A poor quality cornea, can be used only for research purposes.

It will help to remember the following points:

• Close the eyes after death, drying of the cornea leads to faster decay.
  
  
• Put a cold, moist, cloth over the eyes. It helps keep the cornea usable for a longer period.
  
• Place a pillow under the head of the body.
  
  
• Inform the eye bank as soon as possible, so that the donor tissue can be procured and
  processed to maintain its quality.
  
  
• Discuss the issue with the family so a quick decision can be made and time can be saved. * We all know it’s usually tough to talk about these matters, and consensus is sometimes dif-
  ficult.

Next week we will discuss the issue of an Eye Bank, cornea transplant and some more questions about the procedure and eye donation.


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