EYE-CHECK: Dr Aishah Ong (standing centre) observes as people check their eyes. Dr Fang is at right.— Bernama photo
KUALA LUMPUR: Retinal diseases such as glaucoma and cataract may not be new to Malaysians, but their knowledge on other diseases which affect sight such as Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD) and diabetes retinopathy is still low.
Malaysian Society of Ophthamology (MSO) president Dr Fang Seng Keong said Malaysians aged 50 and above who suffer from diabetes have a high risk of losing their sight as a result of the two diseases.
“Many Malaysians are still unfamiliar with retinal diseases caused by increasing age and wait until their eyesight is affected before they seek treatment,” he said at the Retinal Diseases Awareness Week, here yesterday.
The inaugral programme held by the MSO with support from the National Council for The Blind Malaysia (NCBM), AMD Alliance International and Malaysian Medical Association (MMA) was officiated by Universiti Malaya Pro-Chancellor Toh Puan Dr Aishah Ong.
Dr Fang said AMD is a retinal disease which usually affects individuals aged above 50 due to slow macular damage, a part of the retina which allows humans to see clearly, and the disease is a main cause of visual impairment among adults.
“Diabetes retinopathy is unsual bleeding and swelling of the retina caused by uncontrolled diabetes. It is the main cause of blindness worldwide, and in Malaysia it is the main cause for sight loss among working adults,” he said.
Retinal Diseases Awareness Week is from yesterday until June 2 nationwide and the public can go for eye check-ups free in Kuala Lumpur, Ipoh, Johor Baharu, Klang, Melaka, Penang, Seremban, Kota Kinabalu, Sandakan, Tawau and Kuching.
For more information, visit www.mso.org.my or facebook/MalaysianSocietyOfOphthalmology. — Bernama