Radio Interview at Buddu FM Masaka by Optometrist Nambalirwa Noeline

What is cataract, its causes, management and prevention? Cataract is the clouding of the lens in your eye. In the early stages, a cataract may not cause a problem, but as it grows over time, it affects more of the lens, making it harder to see clearly. Causes of cataract

• age
• Congenital- maternal infection, birth trauma.
• Secondary- diabetes, smoking, UV light, steroids (prolonged use)
• Traumatic- it can happen right after the accident or years later
• Signs and symptoms;
• Poor night vision
• Double vision
• Colors seeming faded
• Increased near nearsightedness and the need to change eye glass prescription.

Management of cataract

• • Routine monitoring
  • Eye glasses
  • surgery

Talk about glaucoma in general and how it can be managed. Glaucoma is a group of eye diseases that can cause vision loss and blindness by damaging a nerve in the back of the eye called the optic nerve. Only way to find out you have glaucoma is to get a comprehensive dilated eye exam. No cure for glaucoma, but progression can be stopped, in other words, medication won’t undo the damage. Later symptoms

• • • peripheral loss of vision
    • Blind spots
    • Blindness- if not treated early.

Higher risk if you have a family history of glaucoma Note:

• • • • Glaucoma can happen in one eye or both eyes
      • Some people with high eye pressure do not get glaucoma and there is a type of glaucoma that happens in people with normal eye pressure.
      • Normal eye pressure varies by person, what is normal for one person could be high for another

Management:

• • • • • Eye drops
        • Surgery for later stages