Blurred eyes at the age of Dusk

Age generally make eye function decreases. The eyes that once could see clearly now become blurred, often not helped despite wearing sunglasses. Bright colors were slowly fading. If that happens, the threat of cataract is in sight.

In addition to blurred vision and color that looks faded, another symptom of cataract is excessive glare when exposed to light, can not see well at night, as well as double vision of one object.

Cataracts usually occur in the elderly over 60 years. This disease is a direct implication of the aging process. But with changing lifestyles, plural cataract found in those aged about 45 years.

Effect of smoking, diabetes, accidents, inflammation of the eye, or the use of certain drugs can lead to cataract in middle age group.

Cataracts also can be found in infants. Approximately 0.4 percent of babies born had congenital cataract that occurs due to hereditary factors, chromosomal abnormalities, metabolic disease, to the use of certain drugs during pregnancy or childbirth.

Chief Executive Eye Specialist Doctors Association of Indonesia (PP Perdami) Nila Djuwita F Moeloek, Saturday (15 / 1) in Jakarta, said Indonesia's position in the tropics make a very high potential for cataracts. In addition to the factors age, cataracts can be triggered by exposure to ultraviolet sun rays.

Blurred vision caused by cataract patients the clarity of the lens changes due to certain types of protein covered.

The lens focuses incoming light plays into the eye to the retina. From the retina, the light transmitted to the optic nerve to the brain for interpretation. If the cataract lens membrane blindfolded, interpretation of the object disrupted brain.

If the views of others, proteins that surrounds the lens that looks like white spots or dirt on the pupil (black circle) of the eyeball.

By Nila, the only way to cope with cataracts is surgery. The most widely used techniques are extracapsular extraction, ie lift and replace the original lens with an artificial intraocular lens.

Operations carried out by slicing and removing cataract layer, layer by layer until it reaches the eyepiece. After the original lens is removed, replaced with a lens planting. "The success rate of cataract surgery is very high. Postoperative complications is very small, "he said.

By Nila, the risk of cataracts can actually be prevented by wearing sunglasses and a hat when outside activity, avoiding smoking and prevent diabetes, as well as maintaining a healthy lifestyle.

Secretary PP Perdami Gitalisa Andayani said the number of cataract patients in Indonesia is the second highest in Asia after India.

Health Survey Sense of Sight and Hearing in 1993-1996 showed, blindness rate of 1.5 percent of Indonesia's population. If the current population of 237.6 million people, people with blindness there are 3.5 million inhabitants. More than half of the blindness caused by cataracts.

The number of cataract patients increase every year 240,000 people, but who could access only 120 000 people with cataract surgery. As a result, there was a buildup of sufferers.

Those living on the coast and work in the open are more prone to cataracts than those who live in the mountains or working in space.

Most people with cataract are lower middle economic group. In fact, many of them including the productive age group that must bear the economic burden of the family.

Many patients can not access the cataract surgery due to the expensive cost. Some institutions, such as Perdami, Mata Heart, and the Indonesian Red Cross, often hold free cataract surgery.

However, it has not been able to reach all patients. Appears Sido herb industry began to provide assistance for free cataract surgery for 5,000 patients. Sido President Appears Irwan Hidayat hope this effort was followed by other industries. 

source : www.health.kompas.com