Moet jou nie blind hou nie
JY LEES NOU Moet jou nie blind hou nie
Al ooit gewonder waarom jou sig nie so goed soos voorheen is nie? Jy ly dalk aan die oogsiekte gloukoom.
Oogsorgweek is tussen 23 September en 10 Oktober en VISION Oogkundiges het die voortou geneem om mense oor hierdie siekte in te lig. Volgens die Wêreldgesondheidsorganisasie is gloukoom die tweede grootste oorsaak van blindheid. Een uit agt Suid-Afrikaners ly daaraan. Nuwe, verbeterde tegnologie soos die jongste ZEISS GDx polametriese laserinstrument maak vroeë diagnose moontlik.
Wat is gloukoom?
Gloukoom ontstaan wanneer die oog se optiese senuwee beskadig word deur oormatige druk weens vloeistof in die oog. Gewoonlik vloei helder vloeistof die voorste kamer in die voorste deel van die oog binne om dit te bevog en sensitiewe weefsel te reinig. Gloukoom ontwikkel wanneer die vloeistof nie vinnig genoeg dreineer om plek te maak vir nuwe vloeistof nie sodat druk in die oog opbou. Daar is verskillende soorte gloukoom, met die algemeenste soorte oop- en geslotehoekgloukoom.
Die algemeenste soort gloukoom, met geen pynlike simptome of opmerklike sigverlies nie. Pasiënte besef eers in ’n gevorderde stadium dat hul sig verander het. Vroeë diagnose met die ZEISS GDx is noodsaaklik om algehele blindheid te voorkom. Afhangende van hoe erg dit is, kan dit met oogdruppels, laser en ander chirurgie behandel word. Geslotehoekgloukoom Met dié soort gloukoom bou die druk in die oog vinnig op en daarom staan dit ook as akute of smalhoekgloukoom bekend. Algemene simptome is hoofpyn, oogpyn, naarheid, kringe om ligte saans en wasige sig. Behandeling is gewoonlik met laser of ander soorte chirurgie wat die vloeistof uit die oog dreineer. Behandeling
Volgens die Gloukoomnavorsingstigting in San Francois kan pasiënte met primêre oophoekgloukoom die okulêre druk met gereelde oefening verminder. Werner No?th, oogkundige van VISION Oogkundiges, sê dat gereelde oogkundige ondersoeke die enigste gewaarborgde wyse is om die siekte op te merk. Die span by VISION Oogkundiges het ’n klompie vrae opgestel vir diegene wat wonder of hulle gevaar loop om dit op te doen.
Is jy ouer as 40 en het jy ’n familiegeskiedenis van gloukoom?
Kom jou voorouers uit Afrika? (Mense uit Afrika is ses tot 10 keer meer vatbaar vir dié siekte.)
Ervaar jy toenemende druk in jou oogholte?
Die Gloukoomnavorsingstigting het bereken dat daar na raming 60 miljoen gloukoomlyers wêreldwyd is. Meer as die helfte weet nie hulle ly daaraan nie.
Bron: VISION Optometrists
Don’t through a BLIND eye!
Ever wonder why your vision isn’t as 100% as it used to be? Well then you might be suffering from a prevalent ocular disease called glaucoma. From the 23rd of September to 10th of October 2013, Eyecare Awareness Month will commence and VISION Optometrists has taken the initiative to create awareness around this health issue. According to The World Health Organization it is the second leading cause of blindness and 12,5% of South Africans over the age of 40 are suffering from this disease. New improved technology such as the latest ZEISS GDx polametry laser instrument has provided optometrists with unparalleled data making early diagnosis possible. What is glaucoma? Glaucoma starts when the eye’s optic nerve is damage due to an excessive amount of pressure-inducing fluid entering the eye. Normally clear liquid would enter the anterior chamber in the front part of the eye to moisten and cleanse sensitive tissue. Glaucoma occurs when the liquid doesn’t drain quick enough to make space for fresh liquid and therefore pressure builds up in the eye. Glaucoma can be found in different forms, however only two main types exists – open and closed angle glaucoma. Open Angle Glaucoma: Known as the most common type with no painful symptoms or recognisable vision loss, patients will only realise a change in eye sight once they’ve reached an advance stage. Early diagnosis with the ZEISS GDx is necessary to prevent complete blindness. Depending on the severity, suffering can be treated with eye drops, laser or other surgery. Closed Angle Glaucoma: When experiencing closed angle glaucoma, the pressure in the eye builds up rapidly and therefore it is also known as acute or narrow angle glaucoma. Common symptoms would be headaches, eye pain, nausea, and halos around lights at night plus blurred vision. A patient would normally be treated with laser or other forms of surgery whereby the liquid is being drained from the eye. Treatment:
According to the Glaucoma Research Foundation (GRF) in San Francois, patients with primary open-angle glaucoma could lower the ocular pressure by doing regular exercise. Werner No?th, a leading optometrist from VISION Optometrists suggests that regular optometric check-ups are the only guaranteed method to detect the disease. The team at VISION Optometrists has put together some quick questions in case you are wondering whether you might be at risk. These questions are:
Are you older than 40 year and have a family history of glaucoma?
Do you experience an increased pressure in your eye socket?
The Glaucoma Research Foundation has calculated an estimated number of suspected glaucoma cases at over 60 million cases worldwide leaving almost over half of these individuals not aware of being affected by this disease.
Source: VISION Optometrists