Regular visits to your ophthalmologist could be the thin line between going blind or enjoying longer and healthier eyesight.
Karen Wanjiku, who works at the City Eye Hospital in Nyeri, says many Kenyans rarely visit health facilities to have their eyes checked, a situation that exposes them to visual challenges later in life.
Wanjiku says many people only opt to go to see a doctor when they realize they have difficulties with their eyesight and at times when the condition is beyond remedial.
She is therefore urging the public to make it a routine of having their eyesight checked regularly to avert possible future complications that may irredeemably impair their eyesight.
“Many eye problems can be managed and prevented when detected at an early stage. Do not wait until you are blind to seek treatment. As a hospital, we want to reach all categories of people, especially children and the aged, because they are at a higher risk of eye problems. We want to ensure that everyone understands how critical eye health is to the overall well-being of an individual,” she said.
She was speaking at the Nyeri Huduma Centre, where City Eye Hospital is holding a free eye consultation clinic that will run up to April 30.
Wanjiku also urged the public to take advantage of the free consultation clinic in order to help them seek early treatment if needful.
Apart from the free consultations, the health facility offers a full range of eye care services, including diagnostic testing and treatment.
Morris Mulinge, who is also an eye specialist at the facility, warned that excessive intake of alcohol and too much exposure to screen time may ruin one’s eyesight.
He says medical research has found a close link between the choices people make in regard to what they eat and how they spend most of their time and healthy or impaired eyesight.
“We have dealt with cases of blindness brought about by consumption of illicit brew. It is unfortunate for people to lose their sight just because they could not refrain from consuming illicit brews. We have seen patients being rushed to the hospital when it is too late to regain,” pointed out Mulinge.
Parents were advised to restrict the amount of time their children spend in front of TV screens to avert impairing their ability to see later in life.
According to the Kenya National Eye Health Strategic Plan (2020-2025), over 80 percent of blindness in Kenya is attributed to curable or preventable causes.
In addition, 7.5 million Kenyans are currently in need of services, with 15.5 percent of the population having eye problems that could lead to vision loss if not addressed.
Recent research shows that eye-related issues such as glaucoma, diabetic eye disease, and cataracts are on the rise, affecting many people in the country and the entire world at large.
The research conducted by a United States organisation also found out that the most common cause of both blindness and visual impairment was cataract, accounting for 38 percent of all visual losses.
Trachoma, glaucoma, macular degeneration, and severe refractive errors follow cataract as leading causes of blindness.
Trauma, corneal scars of various causes, phthisis, and staphyloma were leading causes of monocular blindness, according to the US survey.
By Samuel Maina and Geffrey Chaura
