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I m proved m edical services and greater aw areness w ill go a long w ay in strengthening global ey e health

Regular eye check-ups could have detected elevated intraocular [ inside the eyes ] pressure and the early signs of glaucoma , allowing for timely intervention .

His lifestyle offers clues as to why he has never complained of any vision problems despite suffering from a serious case of nearsightedness where people are only able to see clearly objects close to them .

“ He ’ s a bookish child who prefers indoor activities requiring close-range vision , which may explain his lack of complaints about nearsightedness symptoms ,” �r Anhar Hafi� Bin Silim , a consultant ophthalmologist at �ptima� �ye Specialist and Ale� ’ s doctor , told Global Health Asia-Pacific�

His case is an unfortunate illustration of the significant lack of awareness about eye health that contributes to many instances of preventable vision loss worldwide . Alex was lucky because his condition was diagnosed during a general eye screening at school , preventing him from having serious consequences , but many others aren ’ t so fortunate .

In another case , this one not so lucky as Alex , a retiree named �eya in the �alaysian state of Selangor had been going about his business for many years without any eye discomfort or problems until he suddenly e�perienced side vision loss . By that time , the damage was already irreversible . The culprit was glaucoma , a sneaky condition that in the early stages doesn ’ t show any appreciable symptoms but over time can result in patients losing the ability to see things off to their side . If left untreated , it can lead to blindness by damaging the optic nerve responsible for sending vision signals to the brain . In most cases , this damage happens because of increased pressure in the eye caused by �uid build-up .

“ Regular eye check-ups could have detected elevated intraocular [ inside the eyes ] pressure and the early signs of glaucoma , allowing for timely intervention , � stressed �r Hafi� , who also treated �eya .

In many cases , glaucoma can be effectively treated with daily eyedrops that sometimes are prescribed for life . These can usually keep the condition under check , but if they can ’ t , other treatments are required , such as laser therapy or minimally invasive surgery . Though treatments are often effective , many people are diagnosed too late or not at all .

The �orld Health �rgani�ation ( �H� ) estimates that at least one billion people have a near or distance vision problem that could have been prevented or is still not addressed but could be easily solved with spectacles or surgery . Presbyopia , a refractive error resulting in the inability to focus on nearby objects , is the main cause of near vision loss ( ��� million ), while the most common conditions leading to distance vision impairment include cataracts ( �� million ), refractive errors ( �� . � million ), age-related macular degeneration ( � million ), glaucoma ( � . � million ), and diabetic retinopathy ( � . � million ).

Vision impairment can have devastating consequences . Children may experience delayed language , social , and cognitive development as well as lower educational achievements than their peers without vision problems . Adults can struggle to find and hold down a job while being at greater risk of psychological problems like depression and anxiety . In the elderly , vision impairment can lead to social isolation , difficulty walking , and a higher risk of falls and fractures .

To help people better detect possible vision problems and urge them to go for screening , last October the WHO launched WHOeyes , a free application to check the eyes and learn how to protect them . The app checks how well the eyes are able to recognise shapes and details at a certain distance , which is a standard method for measuring vision ability .

“ The WHOeyes app can help people quickly and easily identify potential vision issues that merit further checking by a �ualified professional , � �r Bente Mikkelsen , WHO Director for Noncommunicable Diseases , said in a press release . “ We decided to

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