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By Joyce Gathu
Although many people would be paralysed with fear at the mere thought of losing their eyesight, even in just one eye, a significant number of people are taking their eyes for granted.
But not Rose Kamau, 45, who has lived with eye-related problems for the last 24 years.
"It began as a severe headache and whenever I bent while doing my chores, the pain would intensify. Later, it was discovered that the problem was in my eyes and not my head," says Kamau.
Unlike Kamau who would never use eye drops without a prescription, many people choose to remedy ailing eyesight without professional consultation.
Rose Wangui speaks on the agony of living with poor eyesight. [Photo: Standard]
Prof Sajabi Masinde, a consultant eye surgeon at The Nairobi Hospital cautions: "As a rule, never apply medication without a prescription and neither should a pharmacist dispense drugs without a current prescription."
He warns that wrong eye drops can worsen an infection or even lead to complete loss of sight or blindness in the affected eye.
"In my practice, every year one patient loses an eye from complications arising from wrongfully prescribed eye drops."
It is important to understand that not everyone who claims to be an eye specialist should prescribe drugs for the eyes.
"The family physician or paediatrician usually prescribes eye antibiotics, but never with steroids, while opticians are not equipped to prescribe drugs," explains Prof Masinde.
He advises people to consult an ophthalmologist — (a specialist who deals with medical and surgical eye problems).
Besides self prescription, there are other habits that may compromise the health of your eyes.
"For instance, contact lenses are useful for people who are short sighted, as they provide clarity of vision. They are also used in treatment of some corneal diseases. But inappropriate use can result in frequent eye infections and may worsen eye allergies," notes Prof Masinde.
This can happen if the contact lenses get lodged in the conjunctiva — the membrane covering the white of the eye and behind the eyelids, necessitating surgical removal.
"I see about one contact lens injury or complication every fortnight. One needs a clean, dustless environment whenever contact lenses are worn," he explains.
Other circumstances that predispose people to eye-related problems include driving at night in areas where road lighting and markings are not available.
To compound this, many motorists have cars with poorly focused light and usually drive with full glare even in the face of oncoming traffic.
"I use tinted sunglasses to protect myself from the glare from oncoming cars," says Peter Kiragu.
What Kiragu and many like him are unaware of is the fact that wearing tinted glasses while driving is not recommended.
Research has shown that a reduction in luminance of the road translates to a proportionate delay in breaking of the car.
This is because when you wear darkened glasses, the objects you see appear as if they are poorly illuminated.
For those who work in environments that can provoke long-term eye related complications, there are certain measures that can avert potential risks.
For instance, road workers who are exposed to bright light and excessive dust should be provided with protective goggles.
As for construction sites, they should be watered regularly to minimise dust. In the event that excessive dust gets into the eyes, one is advised to bathe them with plenty of clean water.
Prof Masinde advises: "In case of eye injury or problem, you are advised to see an eye doctor (ophthalmologist) first and not the optician. Should you need eye glasses, the ophthalmologist will recommend and send you to an optician."
While people are advised to treat their eyes with caution, there are those who need to be even more careful.
"Those with conditions such as diabetes, hypertension and connective tissue disorders such as arthritis and systemic lupus should see the ophthalmologist routinely," he says
This is because such diseases may affect the eye at times with no obvious symptoms until it is too late to salvage the situation.
Whatever the case, he advises that people should consume food stuff that contribute to keeping eyes healthy. These foods should be rich in vitamin A, examples being carrots, mangoes, pawpaw, green leafy vegetables and animal products like milk.
A lot of these are affordable interventions that can guarantee healthy eyes.
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