DOHA: The developments in science have helped to bring in new technologies that help to restore eyesight, according to Dr Mohamud Verjee, associate professor of family medicine, WCMC-Q. About 45 million people worldwide are currently blind while 135 million are visually impaired.
"About three out of four people believe that sight is the most important sense they have. Yet a recent survey shows that a significant percentage of people don't get their eyes checked and many people are unaware of the warning signs of eye diseases and conditions that could cause damage and blindness if not detected and treated soon enough," he said at the monthly lecture at WCMC-Q.
For unavoidable blindness, new technologies are in development stages. "One system involves glasses that detect light waves and send signals to a box worn by the patient. This box transmits the signals to implants that hook to a specific layer within the retina, where the signals can travel toward the brain and be interpreted," he said.
As this technology evolves, it promises to provide a sharper image of the world to those who previously would have seen nothing.
In addition, studies on antioxidant and genetic therapies have shown promising results. Specifically, substances found in artichokes, blueberries and pecans have been shown to extend the life of cells in the eyes and stave off macular degeneration.
Gene injection
Also injection of a specific gene related to vision into a subject with a mutated version of this gene has resulted in improved eyesight in preliminary studies.
"The eyes are extremely intricate organs that can not be replicated in terms of their ability to detect electromagnetic waves and transfer these signals to the brain for interpretation. In fact, eyesight is a complex process, and there is disagreement about whether it constitutes two or three senses -- perception of colour and brightness are two different processes while the perception of depth can be regarded as one as well."
People should be aware of how the eyes work and its vulnerabilities so that they can be proactive in maintaining their sense of sight. Various eye problems like nearsightedness, farsightedness and color blindness as well as parasites and injury were discussed during the lecture highlighting the sensitivities inherent to eyes and the need to protect them.
He said that millions of people are worldwide are currently blind while 135 m are visually impaired, with these figures estimated to double by the year 2020. In the Eastern Mediterranean Region, around 37 million people are estimated to be visually impaired, including 5.3 m categorised as blind.
Many nations, including Qatar, are thus involved in a global initiative called "Vision 2020," which aims to eliminate avoidable blindness by the year. However, 90 percent of preventable cases exist in developing countries with an estimated 8 million people classified as blind who would see if they had glasses.
© The Peninsula 2010
