About three out of four people believe that sight is the most important sense they have, according to WCMC-Q associate professor of family medicine, Dr. Mohamud Verjee, who lectured on eyesight at the college yesterday. Yet a recent survey shows that a significant percentage of people don't get their eyes checked, he said, and many people are unaware of the warning signs of eye diseases and conditions that could cause damage and blindness if not detected and treated soon enough.
“The eyes are extremely intricate organs that can not be replicated in terms of their ability to detect electromagnetic waves and transfer these signals to the brain for interpretation,” Dr. Verjee explained. “In fact, eyesight is a complex process, and there is disagreement about whether it constitutes two or three senses—perception of color and brightness are two different processes while the perception of depth can be regarded as one as well.”
It’s important for people to be aware of how the eyes work and their vulnerabilities so that they can be proactive in maintaining their sense of sight, he said. Following an overview of the parts of the eye, Dr. Verjee took the audience through the various diseases that can affect this complex organ. He touched on nearsightedness, farsightedness and color blindness as well as parasites and injury, highlighting the sensitivities inherent to eyes and the need to protect them.
In addition, Dr. Verjee explained that about 45 million people worldwide are currently blind while 135 million are visually impaired, with these figures estimated to double by the year 2020. In the Eastern Mediterranean Region, around 37 million people are estimated to be visually impaired, including 5.3 million categorized as blind. Many nations, including Qatar, are thus involved in a global initiative called “Vision 2020,” which aims to eliminate avoidable blindness by that year. Sadly, 90 percent of preventable cases exist in developing countries, Dr. Verjee said, with an estimated 8 million people classified as blind who would see if they had glasses.
In cases of unavoidable blindness, new technologies are in development stages, Dr. Verjee said. He described one system that involves glasses that detect light waves and send signals to a box worn by the patient. This box transmits the signals to implants that hook to a specific layer within the retina, where the signals can travel toward the brain and be interpreted. As this technology evolves, he explained, it promises to provide a sharper image of the world to those who previously would have seen nothing.
In addition, studies on antioxidant and genetic therapies have shown promising results. Specifically, substances found in artichokes, blueberries and pecans have been shown to extend the life of cells in the eyes and stave off macular degeneration. And injection of a specific gene related to vision into a subject with a mutated version of this gene has resulted in improved eyesight in preliminary studies.
Dr. Verjee said he hoped his lecture raised awareness throughout the local community about the function of the human eye, the value of eyesight and ways to improve the odds that people see clearly throughout their lives.
