Glaucoma Medicine

Hello Friends,

It's been awhile that we have not updated this blog.  We received an e-mail today from Melanie, a glaucoma patient.  Sharing here with you in case you are able to help her.  You see we only help people with cataracts and with slashed budgets we can only focus on our Sight Restoration project.  So if you feel like helping Melanie she has given her information below.

I would like to seek assistance from your foundation.I've been struggling with glaucoma since 14 yrs old.  In fact, I've undergone eye operation several times. 3 yrs later,I had cataract in my both eyes.  My eye condition aggravated when I started giving birth.I have no source of income.Consequently, I cannot provide my maintainance medicine.  I should drop my both eyes with Xalatan.

By the way, My name is Melanie Nierras,31 yrs old. I hail from Tacloban City.  I hope u would be able to help me with my problem.  I'm asking for medical assistance. if you could provide my eyedrop every month.  It is essential to my eyes since it's the only way to prolong the little vision left in my eyes.  I'm a mother of 4 and separated with my husband.  Magnifying lens enables me to read and use the mobile.  Im in need of your help.  I'd be very glad to hear from you.
I'm willing to send u my medical history or any documents required. this is my address: Brgy.78 Greenville, Marasbaras, Tacloban City. You can contact me on my mobile number #09273719120.

 Thank you very much for finding time to read this. God bless

Glaucoma: Facts and Statistics

Glaucoma is a very misunderstood disease. Often, people don’t realize the severity or who is affected. We hope the following information is helpful to you.

Four Key Facts About Glaucoma

Glaucoma is a leading cause of blindness

Glaucoma can cause blindness if it is left untreated. And unfortunately approximately 10% of people with glaucoma who receive proper treatment still experience loss of vision.

There is no cure (yet) for glaucoma

Glaucoma is not curable, and vision lost cannot be regained. With medication and/or surgery, it is possible to halt further loss of vision. Since glaucoma is a chronic condition, it must be monitored for life.
Diagnosis is the first step to preserving your vision.

Everyone is at risk for glaucoma

Everyone is at risk for glaucoma from babies to senior citizens. Yes, older people are at a higher risk for glaucoma but babies can be born with glaucoma (approximately 1 out of every 10,000 babies born in the United States).
Young adults can get glaucoma, too. African-Americans in particular are susceptible at a younger age.

There may be no symptoms to warn you

With open angle glaucoma, the most common form, there are virtually no symptoms. Usually, no pain is associated with increased eye pressure.
Vision loss begins with peripheral or side vision. You may compensate for this unconsciously by turning your head to the side, and may not notice anything until significant vision is lost. The best way to protect your sight from glaucoma is to get tested. If you have glaucoma, treatment can begin immediately.

Some Statistics About Glaucoma

Sources are listed at the bottom of this page.
It is estimated that over 4 million Americans have glaucoma but only half of those know they have it. (1)
Approximately 120,000 are blind from glaucoma, accounting for 9% to 12% of all cases of blindness in the U.S. (2)
About 2% of the population ages 40-50 and 8% over 70 have elevated IOP.
Glaucoma is the second leading cause of blindness in the world, according to the World Health Organization.
Glaucoma is the leading cause of blindness among African-Americans. (2)
Glaucoma is 6 to 8 times more common in African-Americans than Caucasians. (3)
African-Americans ages 45-65 are 14 to 17 times more likely to go blind from glaucoma than Caucasians with glaucoma in the same age group.
The most common form, Open Angle Glaucoma, accounts for 19% of all blindness among African-Americans compared to 6% in Caucasians. (4)
Other high-risk groups include: people over 60, family members of those already diagnosed, diabetics, and people who are severely nearsighted.
Estimates put the total number of suspected cases of glaucoma at around 65 million worldwide. (5)

Public Awareness and Attitudes

A survey done for GRF by ICR, Inc. in Media, PA, found that:

• 74% of over 1,000 people interviewed said they have their eyes examined at least every two years.
• 61% of those (less than half of all adult Americans) are receiving a dilated eye exam (the best and most effective way to detect glaucoma).
• 16.1% of African-Americans were unfamiliar with glaucoma.
• 8.8% of Caucasians do not know anything about glaucoma.

A 2002 Prevent Blindness America Survey found that:

• Blindness ranked third (after cancer and heart disease) as people’s major fear.
• 20% of people knew that glaucoma was related to elevated pressure within the eye. Most of them mistakenly thought people could tell if they had glaucoma due to symptoms, or that it was easily cured, or that it did not lead to blindness.
• 50% had heard of glaucoma, but weren’t sure what it was.
• 30% had never heard of glaucoma.

Economic Impact

Glaucoma accounts for over 7 million visits to physicians each year. (1)
In terms of Social Security benefits, lost income tax revenues, and health care expenditures, the cost to the U.S. government is estimated to be over $1.5 billion annually. (6)
Sources: (1) Prevent Blindness America; (2) National Eye Health Program/National Institutes of Health; (3) American Academy of Ophthalmology; (4) Racial differences in the cause-specific prevalence of blindness in east Baltimore. N Engl J Med. 1991 Nov 14;325(20):1412-7; (5) Quigley, “Number of people with glaucoma worldwide,” 1996; (6) NEI, Report of the Glaucoma Panel, Fall 1998

How Eye Exams Keep Your Brain Young

i came across this article and got my interest.  Read on below. ;_)

When was your last eye exam? It's possible your answer could affect your risk of Alzheimer's.
In a new study, people with vision problems who failed to visit the eye doctor -- or who left their vision problems untreated -- were nine times more likely to develop Alzheimer's disease.

Time for a checkup?

The Vision/Cognition Connection
To be clear, researchers don't think vision problems are a direct cause of Alzheimer's disease. But untreated eye problems could keep people from engaging in the types of activities that are good for your brain -- like reading, playing games, and even walking and socializing.  

Prioritize Your Eyes
Regardless of the connection between untreated eye problems and cognitive decline, there are lots of other good reasons to see your eye-care specialist regularly. The most important? Sight-robbing eye conditions like glaucoma, macular degeneration, and diabetic retinopathy typically don't have any early warning signs. Regular eye exams are the only way to spot them and treat them early.

                                           thanks to Real Age site

Diabetic Retinopathy

There are many myths surrounding diabetes, and it can be hard to determine what is true and what is not. Many patients want to know if diabetes will really make them go blind. The fact is that the disease can certainly cause blindness, and is one of the top causes of blindness among adults. Equally important, however, is the realization that proper testing and eye care can often prevent the condition from occurring.

The vision problem that causes blindness in diabetics is also known as retinopathy. Retinopathy is damage to the eye due to blood flow problems. It causes decreased vision and when left untreated leads to blindness.
When your blood sugar is not well controlled, the blood vessels in the eye become weak. This leaks fluid into the part of the eye responsible for vision. Eventually the blood vessels close off, stopping blood flow to the retina. As the disease progresses, new blood vessels form. These vessels are quite fragile and bleed into the eyes causing severe vision problems and blindness.

Retinopathy occurs in approximately 8% of patients in the first three years, with statistics rising to one quarter after five years and jumping to 80% after approximately fifteen years of being diagnosed with diabetes of any form. These percentages are quite large, but they do not mean that the same percentage of patients will go blind. They point instead to the reasons you should be tested annually for the problem.
When you have your vision checked annually, your eye doctor will be able to catch retinopathy in the early stages. In this stage, the condition is easily treatable. Controlling your blood sugar can also prevent the condition or help delay the onset and progression. It is very important to contact your eye doctor if you experience any vision changes including blurriness or trouble seeing clearly.

Blindness is still considered a side effect of diabetes even though it is preventable. Many patients do not have their vision tested often enough or fail to report symptoms. When you are diagnosed with diabetes, it becomes imperative that you have annual vision tests. When retinopathy is diagnosed early, it can be treated before symptoms become permanent and severe. Your vision is very important to your quality of life. If you are experiencing blurred vision or have not recently had your vision tested, seeking an eye exam is one of the best things you can do for yourself.

Lately, the leading cause of blindness is diabetes. This should all the more spur us to manage diabetes properly. Sure, it will take time and effort, but it will be worth it.
While it is true that facts about diabetes say common eye conditions like farsightedness and nearsightedness are not due to high blood glucose, there is a condition that's exacerbated by it. What is it, you asked? It's cataract. Others say though that nearsightedness or myopia happens when high glucose levels result in the buildup of chemicals in the lens of the eye.

You see, abrupt changes in the blood sugar can cause the lens to swell up a little bit and this makes the vision blurry. Facts about diabetes give the assurance this is only temporary because once the blood sugar stabilizes, the blurry vision should go away. Consult with the doctor if it doesn't.
Make sure you tell the doctor you have diabetes and that your blood sugar has been fluctuating. This way he will be in the know and may suggest to wait till your blood sugar stabilizes to see if you need eyeglasses. The important thing here is to control blood sugar because if it stays high for a number of years, it can cause blindness. This we learned from the facts about diabetes that we have been researching.
Facts about diabetes have more surprises for us. One is that diabetics should be aware of dry eye syndrome. Often they don't know this because they do not feel the symptoms. Diabetes can affect the eye nerves. So ask the doctor to check the eye surface for signs of dry eye syndrome. But let's list the symptoms anyway. It does not hurt to know what they are:

• Burning sensation
• Stinging sensation
• Gritty sensation
• Eye discomfort

Since facts about diabetes say that dry eye syndrome is a frequent complication of diabetes, it is crucial to be alert to this. Have routine checkups and ask the doctor to check the eye surface tissue. What can we do to become comfortable with this dry eye syndrome?

• Wash the eyelids properly with a clean washcloth.
• Open and close the eye or blink regularly.
• Keep electric fans and car vents away from the eyes.
• Stay away from smoky places.
• Use artificial tears to calm down the eyes.

Here's a warning from the facts about diabetes. Do not use drops for treatment that get the red out. Why? Because prolonged use of this may result in more redness. Make sure to follow the doctor's orders on how to use the prescribed drops regularly.
Unpreserved artificial tears and ointments may help those suffering from more severe dry eye syndrome. Use the ointments though before going to bed because the vision will be blurry as a result.

Early detection is crucial. Eyesight is such a precious commodity, special care is the key especially diabetics are prone to having cataracts which is a state in which the lens are cloudy and milky. They are also at risk for glaucoma. 

 

Glaucoma is due to increased pressure in the back of the eye. If left unattended, this can lead to vision loss, headaches and pain in the eye. The most common is open-angle glaucoma which usually occurs in older people. The older and the longer one has diabetes, the greater is the chance to develop this.
The other type and the one that seems to affect diabetics is the neovascular glaucoma. This is more serious and usually develops in diabetics who have severe diabetic retinopathy. If detected early enough, it can be treated with laser surgery.
Remember that all of the aforementioned diseases can be treated with early detection. The trouble is, symptoms do not always happen so make it routine to see your eye doctor. Be sure that this eye specialist is part of the health care team. 

Vision 2020 @ Php20.20

Dear Friends and Benefactors,​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​

Vision 2020:​ The Right to Sight is a global joint initiative of the World Health Organization and the International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness, with an international coalition of professional bodies, eye care institutions, Non Governmental Organisations and corporations. It aims to eliminate avoidable blindness worldwide by the year 2020.
​
In developing countries like ours, 60% of children will die within one year of becoming blind and the remainder will, on average, spend 40 years without sight.​ 90% of blind children receive no schooling and the majority will not grow up to achieve their full potential.​ Thus, blindness in children accounts for nearly 1/3 of the global economic cost of blindness, although it contributes less than 4% of its overall prevalence.

Many of the common causes of blindness are readily treated or prevented: an incredible 75% of blindness is avoidable.​ In children, vigilance and early intervention against blinding conditions is crucial.​

We give priority to childhood blindness as every week about a hundred Filipino children go blind mostly due to poor nutrition, measles, ophthalmia neonatorum, cataract, glaucoma and retinopathy of prematurity/premature birth which are all preventable if treated in time.​ With early detection and treatment we could save a lot of children from losing their sight as well as from disability and poverty.​

Uncorrected refractive errors, which are easily diagnosed and can be corrected with spectacles, are the most important cause of vision impairment in school-age children thus, the Cataract Foundation started with extensive school screening 2 years ago and have found a huge magnitude.​ They have been referred to our partner optometrists and were provided prescription glasses all funded for by the Foundation.

Some startling figures to stir us up:

• ​37 million people worldwide are BLIND and 124 million have low vision
• 1.4 million children of the world are blind
• 75% of BLINDNESS is AVOIDABLE ​– either by prevention or treatment
• every minute a child goes blind
• every 5seconds someone goes needlessly blind
• every week around 100 Filipino children go blind or have serious visual impairment and the children most at risk are those 5 years old and below
• More than 450,000 people in the Philippines are blind; 62% of these cases are due to cataracts.​
• in the Philippines only 2,149 out of a possible 90,000 blind children go to school
  

Together, we can do more!​ Give Sight Now.​ For the child​’s name is TODAY!​

Donate P20.20 towards restoring sight for ONE child. You may wish to sponsor more than one child.

It is a lifeline for a child with poor vision.​ Your own child​’s P202.0 can change another child​’s life.​ Imagine what amazing miracles can happen by sharing a little of what you have.

Save a child from a lifetime of blindness!

Deposit your gift to our account:

CATARACT FOUNDATION PHILIPPINES, INC.
RIZAL COMMERCIAL BANKING CORPORATION
Lacson Branch, Bacolod City
Savings Account (PESO)
Account Number: 1-470-00218-9

Or send it to:

CATARACT FOUNDATION PHILIPPINES, INC.
9 Medical Lane, 21st Street Extension
6100 Bacolod City
PHILIPPINES
​​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​


MAVIS CAMPOS
Program Manager