“Flies, fog”: an ophthalmologist called the signs of incurable eye diseases

— Shahlo Gairatovna, vision is such a valuable ability, and its loss radically changes a person’s whole life. Many people believe that vision problems are a sign of old age. Is it so?

The question already has an answer. This is really a stereotype. Many vision problems, in principle, are drawn from childhood, some are congenital. There are patients who only at the age of 50-60 learn about their congenital ailments – for example, astigmatism or farsightedness. Up to a certain age, the eye muscles correct these disorders, but then they begin to weaken, and complaints of visual impairment appear. That is, it is not a matter of age, but of ignorance of one’s problem.

— What modern methods of treating eye diseases were unknown 10-20 years ago? For example, if earlier there was a clear sentence: only glasses for life, now a person sees well after surgery …

— In general, now ophthalmologists have an arsenal of technical tools for accurate diagnosis and treatment that allows them to conduct research and operate at a level that was inaccessible to our teachers and senior colleagues. It is modern equipment that allows not only to treat, but also to prevent the development of changes in the organ of vision.

The most common eye diseases: cataracts, glaucoma, myopia, astigmatism. We manage cataracts with early surgery. With glaucoma, the constant use of eye drops is prescribed. Nearsightedness, farsightedness, and astigmatism can be corrected with glasses, contact lenses, a laser, or a clear lens replacement.

In today’s world, looking at glasses as an eye-catching accessory has made them much easier to wear. Jokes about bespectacled people with the current range of shapes and colors of frames are inappropriate. Glasses are already part of the image and an object of imitation, and not just a medical device.

I will also name such a common disease as retinal dystrophy. With this diagnosis, vitamins and nutritional supplements are recommended. This is because human life expectancy is increasing, and the ability to maintain an optimal metabolism is weakening. And the necessary elements of the body ceases to suffice.

– And yet there are still diseases that are absolutely not amenable to treatment. Can they be prevented or delayed?

– Yes, there are diseases that cannot be cured: glaucoma, optic nerve atrophy, blepharitis, retinal dystrophy, which I have already named. There is only one solution: early diagnosis. The sooner you find out and start conducting supportive courses of treatment, the less visual functions will suffer. So, the usual quality of life will last longer.

– What symptoms should “send” a person urgently to an appointment with an ophthalmologist?

– If you feel a sharp drop in visual acuity, or, as they say, a veil before your eyes, fog, flies. If you feel a dull pain in your eye. If you have injured your eye. In all these cases – urgently see a doctor! You don’t have to wait for it to go away. There is a high probability that it will not pass, and you will miss the time.

What are the risk factors for developing vision problems?

— At the appointment, we always clarify the patient’s family history. Heredity plays an important role. For example, if one of the parents was diagnosed with glaucoma, myopia, astigmatism, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, vascular diseases, etc., then children are also at high risk of experiencing these diseases. Lifestyle (bad habits, overeating), frequent inflammatory diseases can cause vision problems.

Remind the basic rules of eye hygiene.

— Wash your face in the morning and in the evening, qualitatively removing make-up. Follow the terms of use of cosmetics. And if, for example, you get sick with conjunctivitis, blepharitis, then it is better to renew the mascara after treatment, even if it is new. A light eyelid massage is recommended to prevent congestion. Remember how a child cries, rubbing his eyes with his fists? These are approximately the same movements that can be used for massage, so that both the lower and upper eyelids are involved. Do not touch your eyes with dirty hands, do not use other people’s towels, cosmetics.

– What habits should be formed from childhood in order to preserve vision?

You can’t read with your nose in a book. The same applies to the tilt of the head to the smartphone screen. It is necessary to observe the visual mode. From childhood, both girls and boys need to be taught to hygiene, the rules of which we have just talked about, to set an example of a healthy work and rest regimen. And you need to visit an ophthalmologist regularly. If such visits become a habit, it is possible to identify visual impairments in the rudiment and correct them in the most appropriate way.

– Is there a relationship between gender, eye color, physique, diets with strict restrictions, etc. and vision problems?

– Usually not, although here, for example, the so-called “short eye” is characteristic of the southern peoples. Because of this, the image is focused behind the retina, which leads to farsightedness, glaucoma.

– What products do the eyes “love”? Carrots, blueberries – is it really good for them?

— I would be glad to prescribe only vegetables, fruits and berries to my patients, if it really changed the course of the disease. But do not attribute magical properties to these products. A nutritious, balanced diet and vitamins are important. In particular, age-related retinal degeneration is associated with their lack. Therefore, it is important to monitor the contents of the plate. At the same time, sometimes patients really note that certain products improve their well-being in terms of vision. Well, bon appetit (if there are no other contraindications for these products)!

Today, at least 2.2 billion people in the world are blind or live with visual impairments, and more than half of these cases are due to a lack of prevention, diagnosis, insufficient, and sometimes incorrect treatment. WHO experts note that most people diagnosed with visual impairment are over 50 years old, but these problems occur in representatives of all ages. Thus, eye diseases today are one of the most common groups of pathologies in children: in Russia they are in third place in the structure of morbidity and amount to 9.2 thousand per 100 thousand of the population.

In 2021, the number of detected cases of eye diseases in the country was 24.9 per 1,000 population, which is 1% higher than a year earlier. This indicates an upward trend in the prevalence of eye diseases and highlights the need to draw attention to this problem and combine efforts in the field of prevention and early diagnosis of eye diseases in order to ensure access to treatment and its timely prescription. These measures are necessary to prevent long-term negative consequences for the health of citizens, loss of their ability to work and disability.

“Your vision is the key to the world around you. Don’t put off until tomorrow what can keep you healthy today. A timely visit to an ophthalmologist is a concern for your future and an opportunity to see the beauty of life clearly and vividly every day,” says Honored Doctor of the Russian Federation, Head of the Department of Ophthalmology at the Academy of Postgraduate Education of the FMBA of Russia, Rector of the International Academy of Medical Education, President of the Russian Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgeons Vladimir Trubilin.

Among the most common eye diseases in the world and in Russia are diseases that lead to a decrease or loss of vision, such as glaucoma, cataracts, corneal clouding, trachoma and diabetic retinopathy, as well as diseases that do not lead to blindness, but create significant discomfort and can lead to dangerous health consequences: conjunctivitis, blepharitis, styes and dry eye syndrome.

Glaucoma is a group of eye diseases characterized by a critical increase in intraocular pressure. In the absence of timely and adequate treatment, they can lead to complete blindness – according to statistics, glaucoma is one of the leading causes of visual impairment in the world.

Nearsightedness, or myopia, is a disorder in which a person sees objects close up well, but is unable to distinguish distant objects. In today’s environment, when people from a very early age actively use gadgets and computers, myopia is becoming an increasingly common problem.

Conjunctivitis is an inflammation of the mucous membrane of the eye, caused by a virus, bacteria or allergy, which can significantly impair the quality of life due to constant discomfort and redness of the eyes. This disease requires timely diagnosis and treatment to prevent its transition to a chronic form.

Ophthalmology is actively developing, and today doctors have many effective treatments for most eye diseases in their arsenal. However, in most cases, the success of a patient’s treatment depends on the time of initiation of therapy and the stage at which the disease was detected. That is why it is important to search for new diagnostic tools and actively inform the population about the need for regular examinations by an ophthalmologist. It is also necessary to spread knowledge about simple and affordable preventive measures for everyone – for example, it is recommended to monitor eye hygiene, limit the use of gadgets, protect the eyes from ultraviolet radiation, control the level of pressure (including intraocular pressure), adhere to the basic principles of a healthy lifestyle and maintain immunity.