Perhaps less well known is the fact that smoking causes blindness. Smokers and people who have smoked are three times more likely to develop macular degeneration.

The potentially serious adverse effects of smoking on our eyesight and the possible benefits of diet and exercise are just some of the messages to come from the recent Macular Degeneration Awareness Week.

Macular degeneration (MD) – sometimes known as age-related macular degeneration (AMD) because of its high prevalence in older people – is the leading cause of irreversible blindness in Australia and other Western countries.

It is the name given to a group of diseases of the retina which cause progressive, painless loss of central vision. Thus the ability to see fine detail, drive, read and recognise faces is slowly but surely lost.

Presently there is no cure for AMD; and treatments to delay or stop its progression have met with limited success. As AMD is so common (one in seven people over the age of 50 is affected) there is increasing interest in identifying risk factors which, when modified, may reduce the chance of getting AMD, or stop the condition becoming worse when it does occur.

A family history of macular degeneration gives us a 50% chance of developing the disease. We can’t do too much to change our parents, so a regular and frequent check up by the eye specialist is important for early diagnosis.

On the other hand, something we can address is a commitment to become a non-smoker. Many studies have clearly demonstrated the link between smoking and AMD.

There is ongoing debate about the relationship between AMD and obesity, high blood pressure and high cholesterol levels; but research strongly suggest that diet is significant.

There’s probably still some doubt as to whether eating your crusts makes your hair grow curly. But there’s no doubt the advice we got from our mums and grandmums with respect to vegetables was pretty accurate.

In particular the likelihood is that the pigments beta-carotene, lutein and zeaxanthin found in carrots, pumpkin, corn and some green leafy vegetables are beneficial. Other antioxidants of interest include vitamins A and E and the trace elements zinc and selenium.

Proprietary preparations containing these substances are now available, but the use of anti-oxidants in high doses is not without risk. Beta-carotene has been found to increase the risk of lung cancer in smokers; and vitamin E has been associated with an increased risk of heart failure in people with diabetes or disease affecting circulation. Check with your pharmacist before you choose a specific product.

On the other hand, there is evidence that fish oil (containing so-called omega-3 fatty acids) might provide protection against AMD. So, the Macular Degeneration Foundation advises eating fish two or three times a week, eating dark-green leafy vegetables and fresh fruit, eating a handful of nuts once a week and protecting your eyes from sunlight exposure; and of course, if you’re a smoker, then quit! You can get more good advice from the Foundation at www.mdfoundation.com.au And you can access a copy of their new publication Slips, Trips and Falls, a guide for people with low vision on how to avoid them.

Also, pharmacies around Australia providing the Pharmaceutical Society’s Self Care health information have a fact card titled Vision Impairment. The card gives details about not only AMD but also glaucoma, cataracts, diabetic retinopathy, and refractive error.

To locate the Self Care pharmacy nearest you, log on to the Pharmaceutical Society (PSA) website at www.psa.org.au and click on “self care pharmacy finder”. Or phone PSA on 1 300 369 772

©2010 Pharmaceutical Society of Australia

Glaucoma is sometimes referred to as the “sneak thief” of sight because it gradually and permanently destroys side vision, often without being noticed.

There are several different forms of glaucoma. It is the name given to a group of eye diseases where the optic nerve at the back of the eye is damaged. The damage is caused when pressure in the eyeball rises due to a build up of fluid. This fluid build-up takes place either because too much fluid is formed or because the canals in the eye, which normally drain the fluid away, don’t work properly.

Unfortunately, glaucoma can’t be cured. Once there is damage to the nerve cells in the eye, repair is not possible. However, the serious consequences of glaucoma can be prevented if the condition is discovered soon enough; and early treatment, usually with eye drops to stabilise the pressure in the eye, can help avoid further loss of sight. As well, up to date information about glaucoma is available by way of the new Vision Impairment Fact Card available from pharmacies providing the Pharmaceutical Society’s Self Care health information.

Glaucoma is very much a family affair. If someone in your family has or had glaucoma you’re almost three times more likely to have glaucoma yourself. And that risk increases as you get older.

You are also at greater risk of getting glaucoma if you have diabetes or high blood pressure, if you are short-sighted or if you get migraine headaches.

In the early stages of glaucoma, most people experience no symptoms, even when losing their sight. Nevertheless, there are sometimes warning signs. Some people may notice a need to change their glasses more often, perhaps find it hard to see in dark rooms, lose wide vision, or have blurred sight.

So if your sight is hazy or blurred, or your eyes difficult to focus, it’s clearly important to see your optometrist or ophthalmologist for a check up.

The only way to prevent complete loss of vision is early detection and treatment.

The theme for the recent National Glaucoma Week was “Don’t lose your drivers licence to Glaucoma”.

National Executive Officer for Glaucoma Australia, Beverley Lindsell, said the theme was chosen because losing a driver’s licence generally led to major lifestyle issues related to mobility and independence. Licence loss can be a consequence of untreated glaucoma.

“Our major message is that all Australians aged 40 and over must have their eyes checked at least every two years by an optometrist or opthalmologist, more regularly if they have a family history of the condition, hypertension, diabetes or a former eye injury.”

Mrs Lindsell said research showed that drivers with moderate to severe glaucoma were six times more likely to be involved in an ‘at fault’ vehicle accident than those drivers not suffering from the condition.

If you have glaucoma and are using drops, make sure you know how your eye medicines work so as to get the most benefit from them. Ask your pharmacist for the Vision Impairment Self Care Fact Card; and there is some special information on glaucoma which your pharmacist can print out for you. It also gives some helpful hints on how eye drops should be applied.

For the location of the “Self Care” pharmacy nearest you, call the Pharmaceutical Society on 1300 369 772 or check out the Pharmaceutical Society website: www.psa.org.au

©2009 Pharmaceutical Society of Australia

Of course, contact lenses are not all the same; they differ not only with regard to the prescription needs of the wearer, but they can also be made of different materials – making them more or less suitable for every individual.

Contact lenses can be made of hard plastic or a soft gel-like material. The modern hard lenses are also known as rigid gas permeable (RGP) lenses.

RGP lenses generally provide sharper vision than soft lenses and are more suitable for a wider range of so-called refractive disorders. They are less likely than soft lenses to harbour bacteria, and they do not dehydrate.

However, RGP lenses have some disadvantages, too. Compared with soft lenses they are initially less comfortable to wear; they are not so easy to insert or take out; and because of their small size, they may slip off the centre of the eye causing discomfort and blurred vision.

Perhaps not surprising then, the easier-to-wear soft contact lenses account for around 90% of all contact lenses prescribed in Australia. Soft contact lenses are larger and so they stay in place much more easily; they’re easier to handle and less likely to allow foreign bodies to lodge beneath them. They can be tinted, too; so you can co-ordinate the colour of your eyes with your wardrobe.

Soft contact lenses are also available in a ‘disposable’ form to be replaced daily, fortnightly or monthly. Replacing lenses at short intervals can help avoid protein build-up; and the disposable lenses are convenient for occasional ‘contacts’ wearers such as people who play sport or wear them socially.

The disposable lenses that are discarded after one use don’t require cleaning, but most hard and soft lenses must be cleaned and disinfected each time they are removed from the eye.

This procedure is important to minimise the risk of eye irritation, abrasion and infection. If such a problem is suspected, you should check with your doctor or optometrist. Improper use of contact lenses can not only damage the lenses but also damage the eye.

Dry eye is a major pre-disposing factor in many eye problems. And inappropriate use of contact lenses can definitely cause dry eye.

Ironically, the soft lenses which contain up to nearly 80% water are more likely to dehydrate the eye. As water evaporates from the outer surface of the lens, it is replaced by moisture absorbed through the inner surface from the natural tear film. Regular use of lubricating eye drops, specially designed for contact lens wearers, is recommended.

Be aware, however, that most eye drops are not suitable for use when contact lenses are being worn; and there are some medicines taken orally which may interfere with the wearing of contact lenses – perhaps causing dry eye, dehydration or discoloration of the lenses or inflammation around the eye.

For more advice pick up a copy of the Contact Lens Care fact card. It is available at all pharmacies providing the Pharmaceutical Society’s Self Care health information. Phone 1300 369 772 or check out the website: www.psa.org.au

©2009 Pharmaceutical Society of Australia

Perhaps less well known is the fact that smoking causes blindness. Smokers and people who have smoked are three times more likely to develop macular degeneration.

The potentially serious adverse effects of smoking on our eyesight and the possible benefits of diet and exercise are just some of the messages to come from the recent Macular Degeneration Awareness Week.

Macular degeneration (MD) – sometimes known as age-related macular degeneration (AMD) because of its high prevalence in older people – is the leading cause of irreversible blindness in Australia and other Western countries.

It is the name given to a group of diseases of the retina which cause progressive, painless loss of central vision. Thus the ability to see fine detail, drive, read and recognise faces is slowly but surely lost.

Presently there is no cure for AMD; and treatments to delay or stop its progression have met with limited success. As AMD is so common (one in seven people over the age of 50 is affected) there is increasing interest in identifying risk factors which, when modified, may reduce the chance of getting AMD, or stop the condition becoming worse when it does occur.

A family history of macular degeneration gives us a 50% chance of developing the disease. We can’t do too much to change our parents, so a regular and frequent check up by an eye specialist is important for early diagnosis.

On the other hand, something we can address is a commitment to become a non-smoker. Many studies have clearly demonstrated the link between smoking and AMD.

There is ongoing debate about the relationship between AMD and obesity, high blood pressure and high cholesterol levels; but research from the University of Wisconsin in the US strongly suggest that diet is significant.

There’s probably still some doubt as to whether eating your crusts makes your hair grow curly. But there’s no doubt the advice we got from our mums and grandmums with respect to vegetables was pretty accurate.

In particular the likelihood is that the pigments beta-carotene, lutein and zeaxanthin found in carrots, pumpkin, corn and some green leafy vegetables are beneficial.

Other antioxidants of interest include vitamins A and E and the trace elements zinc and selenium. Proprietary preparations containing these substances are now available, but the use of antioxidants in high doses is not without risk.

The Macular Degeneration Foundation advises eating fish two or three times a week, eating dark green leafy vegetables and fresh fruit, eating a handful of nuts once a week and protecting your eyes from sunlight exposure; of course, if you’re a smoker, quit!

Pharmacies around Australia providing the Pharmaceutical Society’s Self Care health information have a new fact card titled Vision Impairment. The card gives details about not only AMD but also glaucoma, cataracts, diabetic retinopathy, and refractive error.

Phone the Pharmaceutical Society on 1300 369 772 for the Self Care pharmacy nearest you where you can also get advice on the suitability of an antioxidant supplement.

©2008 Pharmaceutical Society of Australia