2. IMPORTANCE
• Diminution of vision has both emotional and economic consequences
• Approximately 45 million people are estimated to be blind according
to WHO criteria
• Majority of these cases are of preventable blindness and can be
taken care of by simple interventions.
4. PROTECTION OF EYES
• NUTRITION
• Vitamin A-
• deficiency may manifest earliest as night blindness, dry eyes.
• Has a role in formation of pigment rhodopsin and epithelial health of
cornea.
• Xerophthalmia is a very common condition affecting upto 3 million
children/ year in developing countries finally leading to blindness.
5. • Can be effectively managed by supplementation with vitamin A
during immunization or healthy diet.
6. • ANTIOXIDANTS-
• Prevent cell damage caused by oxidative processes and prevent age related diseases.
• Vitamin A, C, E significantly reduce AMD in people at high risk for developing it
• MINERALS-
• Zinc has been found to play an active role in preventing AMD
• Sources- green leafy vegetables, fish products, non meat proteins( eggs, nuts)
citrus fruits, oysters and pork
7. PROTECTION FROM EYE INJURIES
• 90 % of injuries are found to be preventable
• SPORTS- commonest causes, include ball
games like cricket, squash, hockey, campfire
sparks
• Swimming- exposure to chemicals
• Firecrackers
• The best way to avoid these injuries to be
alert. Protective glasses can be helpful
8. • OCCUPATIONAL HAZARDS
• Works like carpentry involve flying wood
chips, ricocheting nails, paints and
thinners
• Welding works also cause damage to
the cornea
• Using protective eye gear like goggles or
full face shield while on works like wood
works or welding.
9. • Simple chores like
gardening, cleaning of the
house or using chalk and
board.
• Professionals involving long
hours in front of computer
screens
11. UV exposure
• Protection from UV exposure reduces
chances of cataract and MD
• Right sunglasses block 99 to 100% of UVA
and UVB rays.
• Always test non prescription sunglasses for
any distortion, check if they provide UV
protection
• Wearing sunglasses, a wide brimmed hat
12. REDUCING EYE STRAIN
• Personal measures to reduce eye strain
• Reading in a good light. Dim light doesn’t hurt eyes
but tire them quickly.
• Using glasses or contact lenses if already having.
• Using an anti glare filter on the computer monitor
• Positioning the monitor at or below eye level and
at a distance little farther away from reading a
book
• Taking frequent breaks while working long hours
13. DIABETIC EYE CARE
• Micro angiopathy due to diabetes pose serious threat to the eyes
• Leading cause of blindness in people less than 60 years of age
• Diabetic retinopathy affects almost one third of population having
diabetes for over a decade
• Out of these 5% lose their eyesight completely
• Diet, medication and exercise is the key
• Blood sugar monitoring and an yearly checkup
• Initial examination after being diagnosed and early intervention when
diagosed
14. REGULAR CHECKUPS
• Not to wait for a problem to arise
before getting our eyes checked
• Getting an eye checked every two
to four years between the ages of
45 to 60
• Every 1 to 2 tears after 60 years of
age
• Any family history of diabetes or
glaucoma warrants additional care
and yearly checkups
15. CONGENITAL EYE DISORDERS
• ASTIGMATISM
• Defective peripheral vision
• Early prevention by cylindrical lenses
• CATARACT
• Photophobia, fading colours, halos
• Surgical intervention
• GLAUCOMA
• One of the leading causes of blindness after 60
• Blurred vision, slight pain
• Early detection important
• MYOPIA
• In school going ages
• Corrective glasses or lenses
16. NEWBORNS AND PINK EYES
• Conjunctivitis is a common occurrence in newborns
• Antibiotic eye drops for treatment
• Lacrimal sac massaging done gently two hourly also helps prevent
prolongation or new episodes
• Ophthalmia neonatorum
17. COMMON TEMPORARY CONDITIONS
• DRY EYES
• Commoner complaints
• Allergic reactions blocking tear ducts, medications like antihistaminics,
decongestants, anti anxiety medication, sjogren syndrome, blepharitis
• Artificial tears, avoiding smoking, glasses against wind, swimming goggles,
workplace humidity
• Red eye
• Anything ranging from sleep deprivation to major vision threatening illneses
• Consult an ophthalmologist
18. Preventive eye care setup
• Primary care
• Tailored according to the locally prevalent diseases
• Vit A prophylaxis
• Cleansing for ophthalmia neonatorum (1%
tetracycline)
• Vaccination against measeles, rubella
• Secondary care
• Mx of eye injuries, corneal ulcers, correction of
refractive errors, appropriate referral
• Tertiary care
• Screening and treatment of ROP, MX of cataract,
corneal scars, glaucoma, strabismus and complicated
eye trauma
