It is never too early to begin checking children’s eyes, especially if there is a family history of eye disease which puts them at greater risk of developing a similar problem.
And the first eight years of a child’s life are critical for eye development because if problems are not picked up during this time, damage and vision loss can be permanent.Eye disease is a very real problem but the Eye Foundation advises that 75 per cent of vision loss is preventable or treatable if it is detected early enough. Despite this, as a nation we are slow in having our eyes checked with the result that every 65 minutes an Australian loses part or all of their vision.We often don’t value eye health as much as other health issues for children, with research showing Australian parents could be putting their children’s eyesight at risk as only 9 per cent believe their child’s eyesight is the most important aspect of their health.The best known eye disease is glaucoma which generally does not become apparent until we are older. This disease is one which can often be detected through testing. Despite this, about 300,000 Australians are affected by glaucoma but because there is usually no pain, and loss of sight is gradual, many people – perhaps as many as 50 per cent – are just not aware that they have a very serious problem.Glaucoma is the name given to a group of eye diseases characterised by damage caused to the optic nerve at the rear of the eye when pressure in the eyeball rises from the build-up of fluid. This build-up occurs because too much fluid is formed or the canals in the eye, which normally drain the fluid away, don’t work as they should.However, not all eye diseases are as serious as glaucoma and conditions such as red eye, conjunctivitis and dry eye are quite common.Your community pharmacist can help to find the cause of red eyes or dry eyes and advise on treatment and management of these conditions. They can also advise if you should be seeing a doctor for more specialist treatment or further diagnosis.Your pharmacist, as the medicines expert, also can help you to select the right treatment for minor eye conditions like conjunctivitis and red eye. Your pharmacist will always refer you to a doctor if they feel your condition requires more attention.But the message from eye experts is start having eye tests from birth and have a test regularly to give yourself – and your children – the best chance of having healthy eyes.
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Ni wakati mzuri wa kuanza kuangalia macho ya mtoto, hasa kama kuna historia ya familia ya ugonjwa wa macho ambayo huwaweka katika hatari kubwa ya kuendeleza tatizo kama hilo. Katika miaka ya kwanza ya maisha ya mtoto, matatizo ya macho yanaweza kuonekana mara nyingi, lakini kwa asilimia 75 ya matatizo ya macho yanaweza kuepukwa au kutibiwa ikiwa yatagunduliwa mapema. "Hata hivyo, kwa sababu ya hali hii, kwa kila dakika 65 mtu mmoja hupoteza sehemu au sehemu ya maono yake, na mara nyingi hatujali afya ya macho kama masuala mengine ya afya ya watoto, na utafiti unaonyesha wazazi wa Australia wanaweza kuwaweka macho ya watoto wao katika hatari, kwani asilimia 9 tu wanaamini macho ya mtoto wao ni sehemu muhimu zaidi ya afya yao. """ Mara nyingi ugonjwa huo waweza kugunduliwa kupitia vipimo. Kwa sababu ya ugonjwa wa glaucoma, watu wengi wa Australia wana matatizo ya macho, lakini kwa sababu ya ugonjwa huo, watu wengi hawajui kuwa wana tatizo kubwa la glaucoma, ambalo ni ugonjwa wa macho unaosababishwa na uharibifu wa neva ya macho. Mvuke mwingi hufanyizwa kwa sababu mifereji ya macho ambayo kwa kawaida huondoa maji hayafanyi kazi kama inavyopaswa, lakini sio magonjwa yote ya macho ni makubwa kama glaucoma na hali kama vile jicho jekundu, conjunctivitis na jicho kavu ni ya kawaida. Kwa hivyo, kama unajua, unaweza kuwa na ushauri wa daktari wa matibabu ya matibabu ya matibabu ya matibabu ya matibabu ya matibabu ya matibabu ya matibabu ya matibabu ya matibabu ya matibabu ya matibabu ya matibabu ya matibabu ya matibabu ya matibabu ya matibabu ya matibabu ya matibabu ya matibabu ya matibabu ya matibabu ya matibabu ya matibabu ya matibabu ya matibabu ya matibabu ya matibabu ya matibabu ya matibabu ya matibabu ya matibabu ya matibabu ya matibabu ya matibabu ya matibabu ya matibabu ya matibabu ya matibabu. Daktari wako atakuelekeza kwa daktari ikiwa anahisi hali yako inahitaji uangalifu zaidi, lakini ujumbe kutoka kwa wataalamu wa macho ni kuanza kufanya uchunguzi wa macho tangu kuzaliwa na kufanya uchunguzi mara kwa mara ili kujipa wewe na watoto wako nafasi bora ya kuwa na macho yenye afya. Maudhui yaliyoonyeshwa kwenye ukurasa huu wa wavuti ni kwa madhumuni ya habari na ni mwongozo tu. Haibadilishi au kuchukua nafasi ya ushauri wa kitaalamu wa matibabu, utambuzi au matibabu. Habari zilizomo kwenye ukurasa huu lazima zitajwe na mtaalamu wa huduma ya afya kabla ya kufanya maamuzi yoyote au kuchukua hatua yoyote kulingana na maudhui ya ukurasa huu.