Protect your eyes

Eye prevention for a better quality of life.

Pubblicato il

Monday, 15 December 2014

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Cecità e Ipovisione

Most eye diseases can be prevented or, if diagnosed early, can be treated and monitored to ensure good quality of vision and, thus, a better quality of life.

VISUAL PREVENTION CALENDAR
There are certain moments in our lives, our own and especially those of our children, when it would be appropriate to devote some time and attention to our eyes.
We advise you not to miss these 'appointments':

At birth or at the latest within the first 6 months of life
An initial visual check to exclude malformations and/or congenital diseases is advisable.
This first examination should include the red reflex test o Bruckner test to diagnose a possible congenital cataract and, in the case of children born at term, can be performed by the paediatrician or family doctor.
This first visit becomes absolutely needed and must be done by first 4 weeks of life in certain special cases:
- infants 'at risk', i.e. born pre-term who may develop retinopathy of prematurity (ROP)
- infants who have a family history of retinoblastoma, congenital glaucoma, childhood cataract, retinal degeneration/dystrophy or systemic diseases associated with eye problems
- if any opacity of the dioptric media is observed
- if you notice an involuntary rhythmic oscillation of the eyes (nystagmus).
In all these circumstances, the first visual inspection should be carried out by an ophthalmologist.

A check-up around the age of 3
This examination serves to assess the harmonious morphological and functional development of the eyes.
The paediatrician or family doctor can also examine vision and eye alignment, but when possible, it is recommended to have this check performed by an ophthalmologist, orthoptist or health personnel specifically trained in pre-school visual examination. Children with neurodevelopmental delays in particular should be examined by an ophthalmologist.
Among other things, a first check of thevisual acuitybut only in co-operative children, an aptitude that generally develops between two and a half and three years of age.

School-age controls
It is recommended that a first comprehensive visual acuity test be carried out before the age of 5 or at least within the first few years of schooling, in order to diagnose any refractive defects (myopia, hypermetropia, astigmatism) or changes in ocular motility at an early stage. In any case, children showing visual difficulties or fatigue should be examined by an ophthalmologist.

Controls between the ages of 25 and 40
Asymptomatic adults may have an eye examination on average every five years for the sole purpose of monitoring the health of their eyes.

Checks after the age of 40
In healthy people, an eye examination every two to three years is sufficient, which will probably detect, around the age of 45, the physiological onset of presbyopia.
More frequent checks are recommended in individuals with myopiawhich could lead to retinal degenerative processes.

Checks after the age of 50
Above the age of 40, it is advisable to undergo an eye examination complete with tonometry and examination of the optic papilla at least once a year in order to ascertain at an early stage the possible onset of glaucoma, a severely disabling disease that can remain asymptomatic until serious and permanent damage to vision is determined.
Particular attention to visual prevention must be paid to individuals with systemic hypertension, dyslipidaemia, hyperglycaemia and, even more so, overt diabetes. In these cases, checks must be more frequent in order to diagnose any retinal and/or vitreous degeneration as early as possible and, in particular, the onset of diabetic retinopathy.
In this age group, it is very important, even in the absence of symptoms, to have a thorough examination of the fundus of the eye aimed at diagnosing the possible onset of AMD (age-related macular degeneration) at an early stage. AMD is a disease that affects the macula and leads to a very severe reduction in vision. It is the most common cause of legal blindness in industrialised countries. It generally occurs over the age of 55-60 years, increasing exponentially with age and leading, if not properly treated, to a decrease in central vision with loss of the ability to read in the vast majority of cases.

Checks after the age of 65
In the so-called 'third age', check-ups should be annual or, even better, scheduled according to the advice of the ophthalmologist who will give a specific indication on a case-by-case basis. The aim should be to diagnose early and adequately treat any eye diseases that have the highest incidence in this age group: first and foremost cataracts and AMD, but also glaucoma, vitreous degeneration, dry eye syndrome and much more. Fortunately, today with the help of qualified specialists many problems that could threaten good quality vision can be managed, ensuring an active and dynamic life for the growing population of over-65s.