| FACT: SMOKING CAN MAKE YOU GO BLIND! | | | | removed very safely with no requirement of |
| MISCONCEPTION: IT WILL NOT HAPPEN TO ME! | | | | stitches and also using very advanced lens |
| Smokers are up to four times more likely to go | | | | implants like wavefront lenses and Multifocals |
| blind in old age, according to research. | | | | which help in both near and far vision, thus |
| Smoking increases the risk of cataract and | | | | eliminating or reducing the dependency on glasses. |
| macular degeneration by more than 3 times. | | | | Some Facts on Smoking and our Eyes |
| Smoking can also further aggravate dry eyes. | | | | How can smoking damage my eyes? |
| These conditions can be prevented with good | | | | When you inhale cigarette smoke, thousands of |
| health and care of your eyes. | | | | chemicals get into your bloodstream and cause |
| The macula is a small area at the center of the | | | | damage to the macula (the most sensitive part of |
| retina that allows us to see fine details such as | | | | the retina, at the back of your eye). Tiny blood |
| central vision, activities such as reading and writing | | | | vessels can burst through the macula, leading to |
| and appreciating colour vision. Macular degeneration | | | | irreversible damage, or alternatively, the cells of |
| makes these activities and recognizing small | | | | the macula slowly die. Both ultimately lead to loss |
| objects or faces very difficult and the resulting | | | | of vision. |
| blindness is irreversible. The diagnosis and | | | | Is this damage reversible? |
| treatment is made only by an eye specialist, | | | | No. Some new treatments may help reduce the |
| preferably a Retina Specialist. Smoking is the | | | | severity of vision loss, but for majority of people |
| major preventable cause of this condition. The | | | | with macular degeneration, the condition will not |
| process can be stopped using laser treatment | | | | be treatable. |
| only if the condition is caught in its early stages. A | | | | Is there a test to check if my eyes are |
| new treatment for macular degeneration using | | | | damaged? |
| 'Avastin Injections' shows incredible results in | | | | An ophthalmologist (eye specialist) will be able to |
| improving vision with those affected by macular | | | | determine the extent of the damage. You need |
| degeneration. Our Retina Specialist, Dr Rahul | | | | to be seen urgently by an ophthalmologist if you |
| Shroff, runs a Macula Clinic for the special purpose | | | | become aware of blurred, distorted vision or |
| of preserving sight in sight-threatening conditions | | | | notice a dark greyish area in your line of sight. |
| such as age-related macular degeneration | | | | This examination requires dilating your eyes with |
| Cataract is no longer just a disease of old age | | | | eye drops and examining the retina which only |
| now due to high risk factors such as smoking. A | | | | eye doctors are certified to do and not an |
| thorough eye examination by an ophthalmologist | | | | optician. |
| detects the presence and the extent of a | | | | Your role in the management of your eye |
| cataract. Cataracts need not to be mature ('ripe') | | | | condition is to 'Quit Smoking' and regularly get |
| before removal as was the consideration with | | | | your eye examined by an eye specialist. |
| older technology. Today's cataracts can be | | | | |