| Show Your Eyes And You CATARACT Catar Cataract ct the cloud clouding ng of the normally-clear normally lens within the eye is the greatest single cause of blindness among the American adult population to to- day But points out the Utah Society for the Prevention of Blindness it also holds the greatest promise for the restoration restoration restoration res res- of useful vision for its victims According to figures of the Society senile cataracts account account ac ac- ac count for per cent of all blindness among persons over 20 years of age in the United States up from per cent in 1940 because of the lengthening length length- ening human span life-span and nd the survival of ot more men and women in those age groups most susceptible to cataracts Removal of the clouded lens lensby lensby by surgery and the subsequent fitting of spectacles or or- contact lenses is th the only possible treatment for Jh the cataract patient pa tient at thIs this time The cause of ot cataract at is not yet f fully lly understood by d doctors tors and despite despite de de- spite many many any such cl claims im there are are no salves drops or other medi medications ti s' s that will will dissolve dissolve for catar- catar a 3 cataract Surgery acts while a delicate and serious serious serious se se- rious rious' operation is safe and effective more than 95 times out of Patients with the aid of special glasses or contact contact contact con con- tact lenses thus regain the precious ability to see Why then if it surgery is so effective does cataract remain the major c cause se of blindness Basically because of ot difficulty difficulty dif dif- in motivating elderly cataract victims to have hav logical examinations and and on on having them to overcome overcome over over- come the understandable reluctance reluctance reluctance re re- re- re on the part of the aged patient to undertake the necessary surgical Some older persons accept cataract cataract cat cat- as an inevitable penalty for growing old others find it hard to decide which which- is the lesser lessee problem cataracts or orthe orthe orthe the worry associated w with eye surgery Research work by the Society So So- Society has nas shown ironically that elderly ocular patients stan stand L up more easily to sur sur- surgery gery than had ever been anticipated anticipated an an- ted The Society is now giving new emphasis ito to its public public pub pub- lic lie educational work educational work with the adult Americans to spread pread the message that cataracts need not permanent mean blindness GLAUCOMA lA Glaucoma the second largest lar lar- largest gest cause of blindness in the United States accounts for nearly 14 per cent of all loss oss of sight Often called the sneak thief of sight glaucoma glaucoma glau glau- coma in its most common form can destroy vision slowly and painlessly som sometimes tIme without arousing any warning signs or symptoms in its victim until most of his sight is gone Glaucoma cannot yet be cur cured di but the Utah Society for forr the Prevention of ot Blindness Blindness Blindness Blind Blind- ness reports reports- t that at if the disease disease disease dis dis- dis- dis ease i is dete detected ted and trea treated ed edin in time time- g glaucoma uco a can Cn be controlled controlled con con- con con- trolled trolled- arid and further loss of sight can an b be prevented either through surgery surgery or or medication A leader in glaucoma detection detec detec- tIo tion work sin since G 1 1938 the Society Society So So- estimates estimate t that at more lnore ore than American a adults ul 40 40 years and older have glaucoma glaucoma glau glau- coma and ad hal half of th them m. m are re not aware of it The disease ha has been J p found to s strike a about put two per wr cent of those ov over r 40 Blindness from glaucoma a is irreversible that is vi vision on ononce once destroyed b by glaucoma can never be r restored stored Early detection of ot the d disease therefore therefore therefore there there- fore is vital to preventing blindness The Society has listed listed list list- ed 40 as the critical ag age for adults to begin having regular gular biennial examinations for glaucoma but re recently lowered lower lower- ed the age to 35 years years Heredity Heredity Heredity Hered Hered- ity has been shown as a sIgnIficant significant significant signi sIgnI- factor in glaucoma and anda a yearly examination is suggested suggested sug sug- Bested for those in whose family family family fam fam- ily there have been cases of ot glaucoma Glaucoma is a disease characterized characterized characterized char char- by an increase in fluid pressure within n the eye The front portion of the eye between the lens and the cornea cornea cornea cor cor- nea holds a clear watery called the aqueous Continuously Continuously Continuously Con Con- throughout a human lifetime aqueous e us is produced within this tiny ch chamber flows through gh it to help nour nourish i ur- ur ish the cornea drains through a minute na natural canaL can can- aL For For- reasons not t yet completely completely completely com com- und understood by by science this drainage age canal may may- maybe become become be be- come blocked If the aqueous flow backs jacks up and begins to exert pr pressure the eye This pressure is transmitted to the retina which h contains sensitive sen sen- sensitive nerve nerve cells and na fibers that relay light stimuli through the optic nerve to the brain The increased pressure can cause the destruction of these cells with each cell destroyed a portion of the field a vision is lost forever Eventually the entire field of vision may be lost |
