Contents:
- Medical Video: How Powerful Is Indonesia?
- List of eye diseases that often occur in Indonesia
- 1. Cataracts
- 2. Glaucoma
- 3. Refraction problem
- 4. Conjunctivitis (red eyes)
- 5. Pterygium
Medical Video: How Powerful Is Indonesia?
The overall case of blindness in Indonesia is classified as not so high. Even so, visual disturbances and blindness are still a serious health scourge, especially in the elderly group. The high rate of blindness in the elderly is mostly caused by cataracts, which can indeed develop with age. So, what is the most common type of eye disease in Indonesia?
List of eye diseases that often occur in Indonesia
1. Cataracts
Cataracts are one of the most common causes of blindness in Indonesia, reaching up to 50 percent. According to the 2013 Ministry of Health's Riskesdas data, per 1,000 people there is one new cataract sufferer. The most cataract cases are in North Sulawesi Province and the lowest is occupied by DKI Jakarta.
Indonesians are even reported to be 15 years faster to develop cataracts than residents of other subtropical regions (such as Malaysia, Hong Kong, and Japan). About 16-22% of cataract sufferers in Indonesia who have undergone cataract surgery are under 55 years old.
The high cases of blindness due to cataracts in Indonesia are mostly caused by ignorance of having experienced cataracts and / or not being very aware of the symptoms of cataracts. Cataracts cause the lens of the eye to become cloudy, so that vision appears blurred at first. Reporting from Health Line, cataract sufferers usually have difficulty seeing at night, are sensitive to light, and cannot distinguish colors clearly.
In addition to age, some things that can increase the risk of cataracts from a young age are genetics, untreated diabetes, untreated hypertension, smoking, and other certain eye diseases.
2. Glaucoma
This eye disease accounts for 13.4% of blindness in Indonesia. Glaucoma erodes and damages the optic nerve which supports eye vision.
There are two types of glaucoma, namely primary open-angle glaucoma and closed-angle glaucoma. Both can be caused by age, heredity, complications of hypertension in the eyes, complications of diabetes, to certain eye diseases such as retinal detachment and retinitis (infection of the retinal inflammation).
Glaucoma can be prevented by early detection of the underlying disease and getting appropriate treatment.
3. Refraction problem
The problem of eye refraction is a visual impairment that causes light to enter not to be centered directly on the retina. Refractive abnormalities cause blindness of 9.5% in Indonesia.
Some refractive abnormalities in the eye include:
- Nearsightedness (hyperopia): causes blurred vision when looking at close objects, such as when reading a book or using a computer.
- Nearsightedness (myopia): causes blurred vision when viewing objects from a distance, such as when watching TV or driving.
- Astigmatism: causes double vision when viewing objects from near or far distances.
- Presbiopia (old eye): occurs at the age of 40 years and above which causes blurred vision at close range. This condition is related to increasing age.
A common symptom of eye refraction is the inability to see objects clearly (either far or near), blurred vision or shadow, until the head feels dizzy when focusing on the point of vision on an object.
4. Conjunctivitis (red eyes)
Conjunctivitis or eye irritation often occurs in Indonesia due to exposure to pollution smoke, allergies, exposure to chemicals (soap or shampoo), to infections (viruses, bacteria, and fungi). Conjunctivitis causes red eyes, feels pain, itching, watering until swelling around the eye area. Red eye can be cured with the use of eye drops.
5. Pterygium
Pterygium is an eye disorder due to the presence of mucous membranes that cover the white part of the eye. This eye disease often results from frequent exposure to sunlight radiation. Symptoms can include red eyes, blurred vision, and itchy or hot eyes. The presence of the mucous membrane also makes the eyes like the slip of a foreign object. Pterygium can be cured by prescribing corticosteroid eye drops to prevent further complications or surgery.
