According to a WHO study, globally about 285 million people have visual impairment, including 39 million individuals who are blind and an additional 246 million who have poor vision. In order to provide world class eye care facilities to the patients, adoption of advancedeye care technologybecomes inevitable in today’s time.
With connectivity at nearly everyone’s fingertips, the technology driven healthcare industry in Asia is estimated to be worth billions of dollars today.Similarly in every area of eye care, we have witnessed technology advances in leaps and bounds. The technology is rapidly evolving so as to improve global eye health.
There are several advanced techniques and procedures that are gaining popularity in the eye care segment. Non- invasive & non- surgical treatments with the help of innovationand extensive research has helped cure eye ailments which were earlier untreatable. Innovations in eye care technology is helping treat vision defects like , macular degeneration,Retinitis Pigmentosa, Presbyopia, Amblyopia (Lazy Eyes), Rod-Cone Dystrophies, etc.
Diabetes by far remains a major cause of vision loss, with close to 415 billion people at risk worldwide of blindness due to diabetes. It is important to know that there are treatments available that preserve vision and significantly reduce the risk of vision loss from diabetes. For decades, the only treatment available for treating diabetic retinopathy was laser, however with the use of anti-VEGF(a hormone, vascular endothelial growth factor) injections to combat increased VEGF levels help reduce fluid and swelling in the retina. This type of treatment is more effective than laser and is less damaging to the delicate tissue surrounding the retina. Furthermore, there are instruments devised to help in early detection and management of the eye ailment. Optical coherence tomography (OCT) is a non-invasive imaging test that enables physicians to monitor alterations in the thickness of the retinal layer as disease progresses in the human retina.
There is a new technology that has taken the eye care segment by storm; researchers across the world have invented an tablet based treatment for amblyopia in children in the form of games. The amlyopic eye is trained with use of tablet based games that is only visible to the eye with defects. Therefore helping the child actively participate in the treatment.
Acupuncture,electro-acupuncture and micro acupuncture although not latest but are currently used for treatment of patients suffering from retinitis pigmentosa,optic nerve atrophy, macular degeneration, retinal detachment and many more..This treatment shows a subjective improvement of visual acuity as observed in patients. In children with myopia, relative accommodation is enlarged. In patients with retinitis pigmentosa, an enlargement of the borders of the visual field, investigated by perimetry and isopterperimetry is observed, as-well as light difference sensitivity is established by static perimetry.
Researchers and clinicians are collectively coming up with new diagnostic instruments and test procedures for accurately detecting colour blindness. Colour Assessment and Diagnosis test machine (CAD) is one of the latest techniques in this space, it provides the most comprehensive test for colour blindness in the world. The use of test procedures such as AnomaloskopLantern Test, D 15test, etc. further helps in easy detection and treatment of the ailment.
As advances are made in vision care, it is evident that there is humongous scope for further development. As of now, developments in eyecare technology are already offering a world of possibilities to improve vision and eye health.
About Dr. K.K. Goyal
Dr. K.K. Goyal Founder & Director, Sanjeevan, is also a distinguished member of the Royal Society of Health, England and an Approved Medical Examiner for DGCA (Directorate General of Civil Aviation) and DG Shipping (Directorate General of Shipping)Government of India.Dr. Goyal has served at reputed hospitals such as Bombay Hospital, Nanavati Hospital, Hinduja National Hospital and Asha Parikh Hospital in Mumbai as well as the Unity Hospital in Nigeria.
Source: https://health.economictimes.indiatimes.com/health-files/technology-enabled-vision-care/2614