Retrospecs

Living with Chronic eye conditions Living with Chronic eye conditions

Retrospecs Eye Care Services

The most sight threatening chronic eye conditions are asymptomatic in the early stages.
Most of these conditions are diagnosed on routine eye examinations.
Chronic eye conditions present a financial and emotional burden on patients.
It is therefore important to have routine comprehensive eye examinations at least once every two years if under 40 years of age, and once every year thereafter.
In Africa, the financial burden has the largest bearing on patient care and follow up and is one of the main reasons for default, with devastating consequences.
Family support plays a key role in managing these conditions.
These conditions require medication mostly in the form of eye drops that will need to be taken consistently throughout life from the moment they are diagnosed.
Any existing eye damage is likely to be permanent, but your sight could get much worse without treatment.
The goal of treatment is to reduce further damage to painstakingly slow process so that the remaining vision lasts a lifetime.
In most cases, the patient will not feel different in any way, and they will not be able to tell that the treatment is working.
Sometimes, doctors may recommend that a patient has an operation to help in managing the condition.
Once a chronic diagnosis is made, it is strongly advised to have children and siblings tested as there is a genetic component in most of these conditions.
Always attend follow up appointments.
Some people with poor vision may experience visual hallucinations. They are caused by the brain trying to fill the void in the blind areas. This is called the Charles Bonnet syndrome.
Caregivers must be aware of this and not classify it as a sign of mental illness.

Tips for instilling eyedrops

Set a timer to remind you to take the medication consistently.
Get someone to help you instil the drops. If this is not always possible, you can get special holders to make it easier.
Make sure the tip of the container does not touch your eyelids or any part of your body during instillation to avoid contamination
If you have been prescribed multiple eye drops or you need to use artificial tears, space them out so that you are waiting at least five minutes in between types of drops.
After instilling eye drops, close your eyes for one to two minutes. You may also press lightly at the corner of your eyes near your nose to close the tear duct for one or two minutes-this minimises systemic absorption
Lastly, only talk to your doctor about any concerns you might have with the prescribed medication.

DO NOT TAKE ANY OTHER MEDICATION OR MEDICAL ADVICE FROM FRIENDS OR RELATIVES WHO MAY HAVE BEEN IN “SIMILAR” CIRCUMSTANCES