02/11/2025

ON SUNDAY November 2, 2025 theSunday Special IV

Think you’re taking care of your eyes? Think again BY HANNEF ESQUANDER

Optometrists play a vital role in primary eye care, helping Malaysians maintain healthy vision at every stage of life.

Regular screening is critical because early signs of glaucoma, macular degeneration and diabetic retinopathy can be subtle or non existent.”

Ahmad

I F the eyes are the window to the VRXO WKHQ ZH VKRXOG GR HYHU\WKLQJ ZH FDQ WR PDNH VXUH WKDW ZLQGRZ UHPDLQV FOHDU DQG RSHQ :KHQ LW VWDUWV WR JHW EOXUU\ DQG WKH µZLQGRZ¶ VHHPV WR EH IRJJHG XS LW FRXOG EH D VLJQ RI XQGHUO\LQJ H\H KHDOWK LVVXHV ,W LV D UHPLQGHU WR WDNH RXU YLVLRQ VHULRXVO\ DV D FOHDU YLVLRQ LV QRW MXVW DERXW VHHLQJ WKH ZRUOG EXW DERXW IXOO\ H[SHULHQFLQJ LW “ (DUO\ VLJQV RI VHULRXV H\H FRQGLWLRQV OLNH JODXFRPD PDFXODU GHJHQHUDWLRQ DQG GLDEHWLF UHWLQRSDWK\ FDQ EH VXEWOH RU QRQ H[LVWHQW 7KDW LV ZK\ UHJXODU VFUHHQLQJ LV FULWLFDO )RU JODXFRPD SHULSKHUDO YLVLRQ ORVV RIWHQ RFFXUV JUDGXDOO\ 0DFXODU GHJHQHUDWLRQ PD\ EHJLQ ZLWK EOXUULQHVV LQ WKH FHQWUDO YLVLRQ RU GL̇ FXOW\ VHHLQJ ¿QH

detail. Diabetic retinopathy can present ZLWK ÀRDWHUV EOXUUHG YLVLRQ RU GDUN DUHDV LQ WKH YLVXDO ¿HOG $OO RI WKHVH FRQGLWLRQV LI GHWHFWHG HDUO\ FDQ EH PDQDJHG H̆ HF WLYHO\ WR SUHYHQW YLVLRQ ORVV ´ VDLG $KPDG )DGKXOODK SUHVLGHQW RI WKH $VVRFLDWLRQ RI 0DOD\VLDQ 2SWRPHWULVWV $02 $02 LV WKH QDWLRQDO ERG\ UHSUHVHQWLQJ RSWRPHWULVWV LQ 0DOD\VLD (VWDEOLVKHG LQ LWV PLVVLRQ LV WR XSKROG KLJK VWDQGDUGV LQ RSWRPHWULF FDUH DGYRFDWH IRU WKH SURIHVVLRQ DQG VXSSRUW SXEOLF DZDUH QHVV DERXW WKH LPSRUWDQFH RI H\H KHDOWK $02 SOD\V D NH\ UROH LQ ZRUNLQJ DORQJVLGH JRYHUQPHQW DJHQFLHV KHDOWKFDUH LQVWLWX WLRQV DFDGHPLF LQVWLWXWLRQV DQG 1*2V WR HQVXUH TXDOLW\ H\H FDUH LV DFFHVVLEOH WR DOO Malaysians.