Why Eye Screening is so important?

Many eye conditions do not affect the vision noticeably until at a late stage. The good eye compensates for the bad one. This means that many patients see an eye doctor too late, especially as there are no warning signs like pain. Unfortunately at a late stage prevention is no longer possible. Poor vision impacts quality of life. Unlike before, there are now fast and painless methods to detect eye diseases early. We have the latest technology that increase the sensitivity of detecting eye diseases sooner by comparing your eyes to normal eyes of large research population  the same age as you.

“It is better for me to pick up a problem before you notice it.
I can try my best to stop its progression and you may never be troubled or even be aware of it.”

Screening is suggested for early detection of:

- Cataracts - clouding of the lens

- Glaucoma - optic nerve damage

- Macular degeneration - wear and tear of the sweet spot of the eye, essential for central and detailed vision like driving, reading and seeing faces.

- Diabetic Eye Diseases - Patients with diabetes require yearly follow up to monitor diabetic retinopathy as leakage and shutting down of blood vessels can lead to blindness.

- Retinal tears and detachment - can happen to anyone as a result of short-sightedness, trauma or ageing. This typically presents as floaters, flashing lights and a shadow in the vision.
 

EYE SCREENING RECOMMENDATIONS FOR ADULTS

Poor vision impacts quality of life. Daily activities such as reading and even reaching out for a cup are affected. Remember to have your eyes checked, don’t leave it until it’s too late.

EYE SCREENING RECOMMENDATIONS FOR CHILDREN

Early detection and prompt treatment of ocular disorders in children is important to avoid lifelong visual impairment. Babies and young children are not able to tell us if they cannot see. Vision problems such as a lazy eye (Amblyopia) may have no warning signs, and your child may not complain of vision problems. During the examination, it is not enough to check if the baby or child can see .It is important to look for eye diseases and to check to see that the eyes are working properly together. Remember that if there is a family history of childhood vision problems in the parents or relatives then the child is more likely to have eye problems.
Do not let poor eyesight affect the child’s school performance. To ensure proper eye health, vision development and alignment of the eyes, frequent eye checks should be done at various stages of the child’s growth.

At Birth - All infants before discharge from hospital should have their eyes checked for infections, defects, cataracts or glaucoma. This is especially true for premature infants, infants who were given oxygen and infants with multiple medical problems.

Children should also be checked for their vision health at the various age stages:

• By 6 to 12 months
• At 3 to 4 years of age
• At 5 years of age
• At 7 years of age

During the eye screening and detailed eye examination, the doctor will look for:

• Birth Defects
  • Corneal opacities
  • Cataracts
  • Glaucoma
  • Retinal disorders  
• Abnormal eye alignment
• Vision assessment of lazy eye
• Short sight / Long sight
• Abnormal eye movement
• Delayed visual maturation