Age related eye diseases and available
treatments
It’s quite
often that we see elderly people struggling with small-small things that we at
this age easily do. This was quite heartbreaking for me when I saw a 50 years
old lady having problem in identifying a 100rs note to buy something for her.
It is said that “eyes are window to the soul” but eyesight is actually window
to the world. With increasing number of Age Eye Diseases go hand in hand. Over
age 40, an estimated 25 million people have cataracts and more than 2.5 million
have glaucoma; whereas more than 2 million people over age 50, are struggling
with macular degeneration.
During the
process of aging, our eyes also exhibit ageing in terms of their functional
capacity, after we reach our 60s and beyond. Whereas, some degenerative eye
related problems are considered severe, and if ignored can impact major issues
in your personal as well as social life.
Some eye
changes are normal and can be managed with proper care, such as presbyopia,
floaters, epiphora, and eyelid problems, etc.
·
Presbyopia is when you
start losing the ability to see close objects or small print. This problem
comes along with headaches or strained and tired eyes. Get your eyes checked,
and emphasize to go on with glasses, while reading; which can fix this problem
to a great extent.
·
Floaters are those
tiny specks which seem to float across your vision. They can be a normal part
of aging, but sometimes they can lead to some of the serious eye problems such
as retinal detachment. It is advised to see your doctor if problem persist for
a longer period of time.
·
Epiphora is a condition in which there is an
overflow of tears onto the face due to light, wind, or temperature changes. To
treat this problem wear sunglasses to protect eyes from sunlight but if it
continues, it may be a sign of a more serious eye problem.
Thus,
problems like retinitis pigmentosa, glaucoma, macular degeneration and diabetic
retinopathy have more potential for affecting quality of life as we grow older,
and hence should be treated immediately.
·
Cataracts are cloudy areas in the eye’s lens causing blurred or hazy vision. While
some cataracts stay small, don’t affect your eyesight much; but others become
larger and reduce vision.
·
Corneal
diseases can cause redness, watery eyes, pain, or a halo
effects of the vision. Infection
and injury are some of the things that can hurt the cornea.
·
Dry
eye happens
when tear glands don’t work well. You may feel itching, burning, or other
discomfort. Dry eye is more common as people get older, especially for women.
·
Glaucoma often comes
from too much fluid pressure inside the eye. If not treated, it can lead to visual
loss and blindness. People with glaucoma often have no early symptoms or pain.
You can protect yourself by having regular dilated eye exams.
·
Age-related
macular degeneration (AMD). AMD can harm
the sharp vision needed to see objects clearly and to do common things like
driving and reading.
·
Diabetic
retinopathy
develops slowly and often has no early warning signs. If you have diabetes, be
sure to have a dilated eye exam at least once a year. Keeping your blood sugar
under control can prevent diabetic retinopathy or slow its progress.
·
Retinal
detachment When
the retina separates from the back of the eye, it’s called retinal detachment.
If you see new floaters or light flashes, or if it seems like a curtain has
been pulled over your eye, go to your eye care specialist right away as it’s a
medical emergency.
Hence, Regular
eye exams are your best protection. If your eye care professional finds a
problem early, there are often things you can do to safeguard your eyesight. A healthy diet and wise lifestyle choice can
protect you from almost all the disorders.
There are treatments and surgeries to help you get the
vision but the traditional treatment approach is not successful in reversing
the damage to the tissue; although with the great progress in the field of stem
cells, it is now possible to bring back the normal vision using easy and
natural process.
At Advancells Patients suffering from
different eye related ailments are being treated by implanting stem cells
through retro bulbar or other effective modes to obtain maximum recovery.
