Negligence of eye health threat to vision: Experts
Source: Chronicle News Service / Ngangom Suraj

Imphal, April 15 2025: The human eye is undoubtedly one of the most vital sensory organs, yet it remains one of the most overlooked when it comes to daily care and health check-ups.

Many individuals only seek medical attention after experiencing significant vision problems, often when it is already too late.

This negligence has severe consequences and may, in some cases, lead to permanent blindness or vision loss.

In a series of interviews conducted by The People's Chronicle, experts have raised serious concern over the negligence of eye health, warning that conditions such as Retinopathy of Prematurity (ROP) in preterm children, myopia, dry eyes and diabetic retinopathy could lead to irreversible blindness if not diagnosed and treated promptly.

Negligence of eye health threat to vision: Experts

Diabetic retinopathy:

Eastern Eye Foundation & Research Centre chairman and managing director Dr Ronel Soibam explained that Diabetic retinopathy is an eye condition that can cause vision loss and blindness in people who have diabetes.

If one has diabetes, it's important to get a comprehensive eye examination at least once a year.

Diabetic retinopathy may not have any symptoms at first but finding it early can help take steps to protect one's vision.

The early stages of diabetic retinopathy usually don't have any symptoms.

However, in the later stages, blood vessels in the retina start to bleed into the vitreous (gel-like fluid that fills the eye).

If this happens, the patient may see dark, floating spots or streaks that look like cobwebs.

Sometimes, the spots clear up on their own but it's important to get treatment right away, failing which scars can form in the back of the eye, and blood vessels may start to bleed again, or the bleeding may get worse which can result in permanent vision loss or total blindness, Dr Ronel explained.

He further observed that anyone with any kind of diabetes can get diabetic retinopathy including people with type 1, type 2, and gestational diabetes (a type of diabetes that can develop during pregnancy) but one can lower the risk of developing diabetic retinopathy by controlling diabetes.

Dr Ronel advised people with diabetes to keep their blood sugar levels in a healthy range by getting regular physical activity, eating healthy, and carefully following doctor's instructions for diabetes medicines.

Retinopathy of Prematurity (ROP):

Dr Supriya Hawaibam of Eastern Eye Foundation & Research Centre said that with the advancement in medical science and establishment of advanced Neonatal Intensive Care Units (NICU) more preterm babies, a birth that occurs before the 28th to 31st week of pregnancy, now has higher chances of surviving, which was very low some years ago.

This high rate of survival is also a reason for the rise in number of retinopathy of prematurity, affecting up to 20 to 50 percent of preterm babies depending on the number of weeks and weight at birth.

Dr Supriya also noted that blood vessels in the eyes normally finish developing a few weeks before birth.

An infant who is born early is exposed to different things such as medicine, oxygen, bright lights, or temperature which might affect how an eye's blood vessels develop.

Premature infants are more likely to get ROP if they have other health problems including anaemia, not enough vitamin E, or breathing problems, she said.

ROP might not be visible until several weeks after birth.

So, premature babies at risk for ROP are usually checked by an ophthalmologist at 4 to 6 weeks after birth and again thereafter.

Therefore, it is important to take the baby to all follow-up appointments with the ophthalmologist.

ROP may go away on its own as an infant grows.

But as the infant grows, they should be seen by an ophthalmologist regularly.

Timely detection and treatment can help prevent permanent vision loss, Dr Supriya advised.

Myopia:

Wangkhei Eye Hospital chief ophthalmologist Dr Vishal Thongam expressed concern over the rise in myopia, also known as near-sightedness, a vision condition where distant objects appear blurry while close objects are seen clearly, especially among children and adolescent.

The World Health Organisation predicts that, if the current trend continues, half of the world's population will be near-sighted by 2050 with up to one-fifth at an increased risk of blindness due to complications of severe myopia.

Noting that children and young adults are spending more time using electronic devices like smartphones and computers, leading to more near-focused activities, Dr Vishal cautioned that such activities have been linked to an increased risk of myopia development.

Spending less time outdoors is also a risk factor for myopia, potentially due to a lack of bright light exposure and relaxation of eye muscles, he stated.

While cautioning that as children are exposed to digital devices since infant stages, they are prone to develop myopia in their later stages of life which is irreversible, Dr Vishal advised parents and guardians to encourage children to spend at least 90 minutes of outdoor time daily, limit screen time and balanced diet rich in fruits, vegetables, and omega-3 fatty acids.

Dry Eyes Syndrome:

Regarding Dry Eyes Syndrome, a condition where the eyes don't produce enough tears or the tears dry up too quickly, leading to discomfort and potentially affecting vision, Dr Vishal said that it has become very common in people above the age of 20 and below 39.Though it can be caused by various factors, including age, medical conditions, medications and environmental factors, prolonged use of digital devices both at work and home contribute to a large extend, he added.

Severe symptoms may include dryness, burning sensation, or irritation in the eyes, blurred vision, especially in the evening, sensitivity to light and discomfort when wearing contact lenses, Dr Vishal pointed out while also cautioning that delaying treatment can lead to permanent blindness.

Dr Vishal advised prolonged screen users to follow the simple but very effective "The 20-20-20 rule" which involves taking a 20-second break to look at something 20 feet away every 20 minutes.

This helps relax eye muscles and prevents dryness.

Wearing wraparound sunglasses while travelling on two wheelers to protect the eye from drying out, drinking plenty of water to stay hydrated, making effort to blink often especially while looking at screen for long hours and taking prescription medicine regularly, can prevent the Dry Eye Syndrome, Dr Vishal added.