Through the Centuries, blindness and the blinding

Disease were regarded imply as part of mankind’s

Unhappy lot, but such fatalism can no longer exist

As per WHO report "Every five seconds an individual in the world goes blind. Globally there are nearly 45 million blind people and almost 135 million with low vision, a total of 180 million people with some degree of visual disability. Nine out of the ten who are blind live in developing countries". Yet more than half of the global blindness is preventable. With proper treatment by drugs and surgery sight could be restored to millions who are now losing it. Preventive measures can ensure that in the future the numbers of the blind will be less than what it is today. Prevention and treatment of blindness and eye diseases in a large country, like ours especially when there are areas where population is scattered or scarce and above all when the climate may bring harsh weather in some seasons presents special problems. India is rash populous, mainly inhabited by rural areas where adequate eye care is scarce. It is but clear that every year millions fall prey to blindness due to want of timely ophthalmic aids and services.

In our country the summer season after winter is from April-May to June-July. During summer the eye flu or influenza, conjunctivitis, trachoma, become endemic or epidemic. To avoid these eye ailments eyes should be washed with clean and cold water many times during the day and before going to bed.

Ultra-violet rays of the burning sun have harmful effect on the eyes, these may  lead to Cataract. To avoid the scorching sun "Sunglasses" should be used if you have to go out in the sun. If proper eye health care is taken one can be safe from the eye diseases during summer season.

Visual impairment and blindness are not a public health problem alone. Socioeconomic, cultural and various human factors also play major role. They have to be tackled Blindness is a major public health problem in most developing countries where eye care facilities are still limited. It is one of the most common forms of disabilities widely prevalent in South East Asian Countries. India is the first country in the world to launch "National Programme for Control of Blindness" (NPCB) in 1976. About 80% cases of blindness are avoidable (either treatable/preventable).This programme is running under the Centrally Sponsored Scheme by the help of Ministry of Health, Government of India . It provides Grant for Equipments, Cataract Operations and other activities

• In old age there is a reduction in the secretion of tears which play an important role in the protection of the eyes. Each time we blink, the eyelids wash the eye with the tears secreted. Tears act as a lubricant and keep the eyes clean and moist. To prevent drying, one should frequently wash the eyes with clean cold water

• If Cataract is detected early some improvement is vision can be achieved by wearing glasses. But this vision can only be temporary. The person may eventually need surgery. There are 2 types of surgery for Cataract.

• 1.Conventional type of surgery where the eye lens is removed and the patient is advised to wear spectacles with thick lenses after 6 weeks
  2. Intra-Ocular Lens -(I.O.L) Surgery where an artificial lens is placed from where the natural lens was removed.

• Glaucoma is mostly treated by medicines to reduce the pressure within the eyeball. Sometimes surgery may be needed.

• Early detection and treatment of retinopathy can slow or correct the potential problems in the vast majority of cases. Because symptoms are often missing, the best detection is a professional eye check up. A yearly eye examination for all people with diabetes is essential. Recent advances in laser surgery have greatly improved the prognosis for those with retinopathy. Laser surgery is so precise that leaks in blood vessels can be stopped or diseased tissue on the retina destroyed. The procedure is usually painless and without complications. Laser surgery cannot restore vision that has already been lost. For this reason, detecting and treating diabetic retinopathy early is the best way to prevent vision loss. Undetected and untreated retinopathy can cause blindness, and this is very sad, because 90% of such blindness is preventable.

• Proper vision ensures better quality of life. Most problems relating to the eye are either preventable or treatable and old people should not accept failing sight as part of becoming old. The following points are important.

• Yearly check-up of the eyes.

• Sufficient light while reading and writing.

• Avoid watching television constantly.

• Avoid looking directly at the sun.

• Avoid self-medication (especially eye-drops) for eye problems.

Once glasses are prescribed they should be used constantly