Often, you can make yourself more vulnerable to vision issues due to factors you can influence. For example, those who clock in countless hours of screen time a day may be worsening their eyesight. That’s why CNA reports that up to 90% of adults in Singapore alone may have myopia or nearsightedness by 2050.
However, you can also develop eye diseases from things outside your control. Worried about vision loss? Know that people of Asian descent are four times more likely to be diagnosed with blindness-causing glaucoma once they get older. Studies find that our eyes have unique structural characteristics that make it easier for intraocular pressure (IOP) to build up and cause glaucoma. As a result, experts believe those with Chinese and Indian ancestry will make up the majority of the 100 million people worldwide expected to be diagnosed with the disease by 2040.
Fortunately, you can take steps to avoid glaucoma even if your genetics put you at risk for it. Here are a few key prevention tips.
Control Your Blood Pressure
High blood pressure similarly increases pressure in the eye, which is why modifying your lifestyle to manage it can minimise how much your genetics make you vulnerable to glaucoma. First and foremost, follow a healthy diet. Eating fewer processed foods and foods high in sodium can help lower your blood pressure. Prioritise consuming fresh fruit, leafy vegetables, nuts, and fish. These provide additional benefits, including shielding your eyes against oxidative stress and radical damage that can affect both your optic nerve and retina. They can also lower glaucoma-related pressure in the eyes. Regular exercise is essential for strengthening your heart, easing the strain on your arteries, and ultimately reducing blood pressure and IOP.
However, going beyond these tried-and-tested methods of diet and exercise is vital for glaucoma prevention. That’s why you’ll also want to quit unhealthy habits like smoking. The more cigarettes you consume, the more you increase blood pressure and IOP. You’ll also damage your retinal nerve fibre layer (RNFL)—and a thinning RNFL is a symptom of glaucoma. So if you’re still part of the small population of Singaporeans who smoke, look into the Ministry of Health’s quit-smoking programmes.
Protect Against The Sun
The sun’s UV rays, which are already a contributing factor to other vision loss-causing conditions like cataracts, age-related macular degeneration, and eye cancer, can also heighten your risk of glaucoma. They cause exfoliation materials to build up near the front of your eyes, causing blockages that make it more difficult for fluid to drain. That fluid retention can worsen IOP and potentially cause glaucoma. It’s thus crucial to wear sunglasses whenever you’re outdoors.
Be sure to get your pair from reliable sources like Gentle Monster and Oakley, as they produce sunglasses that provide 100% UV protection and don’t just have dark lenses. Without that protection factor, these lenses will only cause your pupils to open further, let more light in, and increase the damage UV rays cause inside your eyes.
If you’re among the many Singaporeans diagnosed with refractive errors like myopia, you’ll also have UV-blocking options that simultaneously correct your vision. Brands ranging from Ray-Ban to Tory Burch offer prescription sunglasses that can give you the benefits of both kinds of eyewear and can be customised depending on your needs. That includes accommodations for both single-vision prescriptions and progressive ones that require vision correction at multiple distances. Wear them year-round for full and consistent UV protection against glaucoma.
Get Regular Eye Exams
What’s concerning about glaucoma is that it doesn’t exhibit symptoms in its early stages. Often, those who already have it don’t learn about it until it’s progressed and causes intense eye pain, blurred vision, and loss of peripheral vision. If your genetics lead to you developing glaucoma despite efforts to lower your risks, regular eye exams are the best and most effective way to catch it early, treat it as soon as possible, and avoid becoming legally blind. Don’t just settle for traditional eye tests, either. These only check for refractive errors. Since glaucoma affects the optic nerve at the back of the eye, it also can’t be detected via basic assessments. Instead, go for comprehensive eye exams. Here, eye-care professionals will dilate your eyes to view your optic nerve and specifically check for signs of glaucoma.
Glaucoma is easily manageable if you catch it on time. You may be able to get away with treating them with specialised eye drops rather than having to wear low-vision spectacles once glaucoma takes away most of your eyesight—or undergo more intensive laser procedures or surgeries just to lower IOP. Be sure to frequently get eye exams regardless of whether you don’t have glaucoma or have already been diagnosed. To make things easier, our conversation with ophthalmologist Claudine Pang finds you can use eyecare software like the Asia Retina App to keep track of the state of your vision and even remind yourself when to book appointments or use eye drops as prescribed.