issue: eye
08
The HEALTH | JULY, 2018
CREDIT: NIH NATIONAL EYE INSTITUTE
Diabetic
retinopathy
A common cause for blindness in adults
D
IABETIC retinopathy is the
most common eye disease
and is one of the main causes
of blindness in adults.
Pantai Hospital Kuala
Lumpur Ophthalmologist and Vitreoreti-
nal surgeon Dr Manoharan Shunmugam
explained that it is caused by changes in
the blood vessels of the retina.
Symptoms
“Over time, diabetic retinopathy can
get worse and cause vision loss. It usually
Abnormal new blood vessels seen growing in places with blue arrows
“In some people, blood vessels may
swell and leak fluid. In other people,
abnormal new blood vessels grow (indi-
cated by blue arrows in the figure) on the
surface of the retina.”
A patient getting an OCT examination.
How do you
detect diabetic
retinopathy?
D
IABETIC retinopathy
and macular edema are
detected during a compre-
hensive eye check that includes:
•Visual acuity test: the eye chart
test measures how well you see at
various distances
•Tonometry: an instrument mea-
sures the pressure inside the eye.
Numbing drops may be applied to
the eye for this test.
Dilated eye examination
Optical Coherence Tomography
(OCT): this is a special scan of
the retina which displays a cross-
sectional view of the retina and
can calculate exactly how swollen
the retina is.
If your eye care doctor believes
you need treatment for macular
edema, he may suggest a fluo-
rescein angiogram. In this test, a
special dye is injected into your
arm. Pictures are taken as the dye
passes through the blood vessels
in the retina. The test allows the
ophthalmologist to identify any
leaking blood vessels and recom-
mend treatment.
Blood sugar control slows
onset of retinopathy
“THE Diabetes Control and Com-
plications Trial (DCCT) showed
that better control of blood
sugar levels slows the onset and
progression of retinopathy,” said
Pantai Hospital Kuala Lumpur
Ophthalmologist and Vitreo-
retinal surgeon Dr Manoharan
Shunmugam.
“People with diabetes who
kept their blood sugar levels as
close to normal as possible also
had much less kidney and nerve
disease. Better control also
reduces the need for sight-saving
laser.”
“Other studies have shown
that controlling elevated blood
pressure and cholesterol can
reduce the risk of vision loss.
Controlling these will help in
overall health as well as help
protect your vision. Maintain-
ing good control of blood sugar
levels will also mean you are
more likely to have a heart attack,
stroke or other diabetes-related
complications.
Herpes
Zoster
Blepharitis:
Inflammation
of the eye
common
in older
population
BY POOVENRAJ KANAGARAJ
W
HEN the term “herpes” comes
into mind, it is known as a dis-
ease that commonly affects the
genitals. However Herpes Zoster virus
type 1 is a viral disease that affects the
body - waist above. It is known to affect
parts of the face. In adults who contract
chickenpox, this will result in an immuno-
compromised situation where the herpes
virus that was initially dormant will begin
to flare up.
B
LEPHARITIS is an inflammatory
condition of the eyelids. It can
affect people of all ages, but it is
more common in the older population.
The eyelid margins, as well as having
eyelashes protruding from their anterior
(front) surface, also at the openings of
oil glands (Meibomian glands) behind
the lashes.
Pantai Hospital Kuala Lumpur Oph-
thalmologist and Vitreoretinal surgeon
Dr Manoharan Shunmugam explained
that symptoms include crusting, swelling
and redness of the eyelids, dryness of the
eye, a gritty feeling and burning sensa-
tion in the eye, tiny flakes on the eyelids
similar to fine dandruff, sensitivity to
light, blurred vision, loss of eyelashes/
in-growing eyelashes, styes on the eyelid
and small ulcers on the eyelids.
“With blepharitis, the eyelids appear
red and inflamed with crusts and scales
around the bases of the eyelashes.
There may be blocked Meibomian