8 Types of eye diseases that are common in Indonesia

The overall case of blindness in Indonesia is not that high. Even so, visual disturbances and blindness are still serious health scourges, especially in the elderly group. The high rate of blindness in the elderly is mostly caused by cataracts, which can develop with age. So, what other types of eye diseases are the most common?

What are the types of eye diseases that often occur?

The following list provides an overview of common eye diseases. Call your eye doctor immediately if you experience any symptoms.

1. Cataracts

Cataracts are one of the most common causes of blindness in Indonesia, even reaching 50 percent. According to the 2013 Ministry of Health's Riskesdas data, per every 1,000 people, there is 1 new cataract sufferer. The highest number of cataract cases is in North Sulawesi Province and the lowest is occupied by DKI Jakarta.

The high number of blindness cases due to cataracts in Indonesia is mostly caused by not knowing that you have experienced cataracts and / or are not really aware of the symptoms of cataracts.

Cataracts cause the lens of the eye to become cloudy, so vision may appear blurry at first. Patients with cataracts usually have difficulty seeing at night, are sensitive to light, and cannot distinguish colors clearly.

Apart from the age factor, several things that can increase the risk of cataracts from a young age are genetics, untreated diabetes, untreated hypertension, smoking, and having had certain other eye diseases.

2. Glaucoma

This eye disease contributes to the blindness rate of 13.4% in Indonesia. Glaucoma occurs due to high pressure on the eyeball which damages the optic nerve which plays a role in vision.

There are two types of glaucoma, namely primary open-angle glaucoma and angle-closed glaucoma. Both can be caused by factors of age, heredity, complications of hypertension in the eye, complications of diabetes, to certain eye diseases such as retinal detachment and retinitis (inflammation of the retina).

Glaucoma can be prevented by early detection of the underlying disease and getting the right treatment.

3. Refraction problems

An eye refraction problem is a visual disturbance that causes light not to be concentrated directly onto the retina. Refractive disorders cause blindness of 9.5% in Indonesia.

Some of the refractive errors of the eye include:

• Farsightedness (hypermetropy / hyperopia): causes blurred vision when looking at near objects, such as when reading a book or using a computer.
• Nearsightedness (myopia): causes blurry 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 away (cylinder eye).
• Presbyopia (old eye): occurs at the age of 40 years and over which causes blurred vision at close range. This condition is associated with increasing age.

Common symptoms of eye refraction are the inability to see objects clearly (either far or near), blurred or shadowed vision, until the head feels dizzy when focusing the point of view on an object.

4. Conjunctivitis (red eye)

Conjunctivitis or eye irritation often occurs in Indonesia due to exposure to pollution fumes, allergies, exposure to chemicals (soap or shampoo), to infections (viruses, bacteria, and fungi). Conjunctivitis causes red, painful, itchy, watery eyes to 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 mucous membrane that covers the whites of the eyes. This eye disease often occurs due to frequent exposure to sun radiation.

Symptoms can include red eyes, blurred vision, and eyes that feel itchy or hot. The presence of this mucous membrane also makes the eyes look like a foreign object. Pterygium can be cured by prescribing corticosteroid eye drops to prevent further complications or by surgery.

6. Diabetic retinopathy

Quoted from the Mayo Clinic, diabetic retinopathy is a complication of diabetes that attacks the eye. This eye disease is caused by damage to the blood vessels in the light-sensitive tissue at the back of the eye (retina).

Initially, diabetic retinopathy may not cause symptoms or show only minor vision problems. However, this condition can lead to blindness in the end.

This condition can develop in anyone with type 1 or type 2 diabetes. The longer you have diabetes or when your blood sugar is poorly controlled, the more likely you are to develop diabetic retinopathy.

7. Age-related macular degeneration

Age-related or macular degeneration age-related macular degeneration (AMD) occurs when a part of the retina called the macula is damaged. With AMD, you will lose your central vision.

In this condition, you cannot see the details very well. However, your peripheral (side) vision will remain normal. For example, you look at your watch. You will probably see the hours numbers, but not the hands.

Age-related macular degeneration is a very common eye disease. This condition is a common cause of vision loss in people aged 50 years or older.

8. Strabismus

Strabismus is a condition when your eyes are not properly aligned and pointing in different directions. You may be familiar with the term squint.

Strabismus affects vision, because both eyes have to point in the same place to see properly. This condition can result from a number of things, including diabetes, head injury, or damage to the eye muscles after eye surgery.

Some of the eye diseases above can be treated and prevented from getting worse, putting your vision at risk. As an initial preventive measure, you can have your eyes checked regularly to an eye doctor. That way, you can find earlier if there are certain conditions in your eyes.