Television and high tech gadgets with led display such as handphones and laptops have been attributed for increasing and aggravating shortsightedness, myopia, and glaucoma among other eye problems and diseases. This is further exacerbated with lack or care or indifference which could lead to more serious outcomes that could eventually end in blindness According to the Medical Director of Ophthalmology Specialist at Lee Eye Centre(LEC), Dr Lee Mun Wai, such a devastating outcome is highly possible unless people start taking immediate and appropriate remedial actions. He said, the eyeball which is divided into six complex sub special areas is one of the most precious gifts that allows us to see, define and observe every single detail and it must be given our utmost care for a longer and healthier vision.
"The generation nowadays is ignorant about eye care as they presume only bad injuries and certain brain tumours will cause permanent blindness when it is not usually the case,” he said, adding that our modern daily IT savvy gadgets and television are increasingly affecting our eye health by causing various eye diseases including short sightedness, myopia, and glaucoma. “For instance, kids nowadays are given high end gadgets and exposed to continuous television programmes without proper supervision, just so that parents can get their children occupied,” Lee noted. This will result in retinal exhaustion and affect the nerves around the eyeballs which could eventually cause severe eye diseases, or even permanent blindness in some cases. To increase awareness on the causes, effects and treatments of eye diseases, Lee Eye Centreis running its Blindness Prevention Program which started last October, aimed at thwarting avoidable blindness as well as offering preventive measures and treatment for communities across all ages.
For 40 years, Lee Eye Centre has been using various tools and activities to inform and educate people at both urban and rural areas as well as young students about the importance of proper eye care. "When we had free screening for old folks and for several primary schools around Ipoh, shockingly some children as young as seven or eight have developed short sightedness and mild eye diseases. "Unfortunately, some of these kids can't afford to buy their own glasses due to financial problems,” Lee said. To help needy children, Lee Eye Centre has collaborated with several optical eye centres in Perak to provide free glasses and consultation so that their eye problems can be addressed at the crucial early stages. He also hopes the public in general will give priority to eye care and health so that changes can be made to lifestyle that will prevent the upward trend of eye ailments affecting our society. Lee also hopes to improve his centre’s Blindness Awareness Program to allow greater accessibility for eye care services especially among the needy. Lee Eye Centre had been providing free cataract consultation and is actively helping source sponsors for operations and treatments to needy old folks and one of those who benefitted from the centres’ generous gesture is Persatuan Kebajikan Orang Tua Islam resident, Titian Abadi, Noryah Osman. The 80-year-old grandma found out she had cataract in both eyes after getting her eyes checked at the centre recently.
“The cataract in both my eyes is rather chronic and the doctor here recommended surgery, but as I cannot afford it, the centre is helping to look for sponsors,” Noryah (right) said. Mak Siew Mun, 77 from Majlis Kebajikan Semenanjung Malaysia(PERAK), claims he developed cataracts and weakened blood vessels from labour and construction work at a young age. "I always ignored the supervisor's advice to wear some safety instruments like eye goggles and the doctor said I am lucky since I don't have any major eye injury due to my carelessness. "Besides the free consultation, Lee Eye Centre has also offered me free follow ups after the surgery," said the senior citizen from Taiping.