“Eye frailty” that cannot be detected with a vision test alone
2023.10.01
October 10th is “Eye Protection Day”. The reason it’s October 10th is because when you turn the number 10 sideways, you can see that it looks like an eyebrow and eye.
So, have you ever had an eye exam?
You may receive regular vision tests with your health checkup, or when you receive a prescription for contact lenses. However, visual acuity tests alone are not sufficient to measure eye function.
“Eye frailty”, where eye function deteriorates without you even realizing it, may have begun.
Glaucoma cannot be detected by vision test
Glaucoma is the most common cause of blindness in adults.
Glaucoma is a disease that damages the optic nerve at the back of the eye, resulting in narrowed vision or partial loss of vision. You may think that if your field of vision becomes
narrow, you’ll notice it right away, but because you generally look with both eyes to compensate for the visual field of one, you rarely notice the symptoms in the early stages.
Furthermore, even if your visual field begins to deteriorate due to glaucoma, if your central visual field is still intact, you will be able to see what you are trying to see, so your visual
acuity will show up in a visual acuity test. Therefore, glaucoma cannot be detected by visual acuity tests alone.
1 in 20 people over the age of 40 have glaucoma
Loss of vision, blindness…when you hear that, some people may think it’s a rare disease.
However, it has been ascertained that about 5% of Japanese people over the age of 40 and 10% of people over the age of 60 will develop glaucoma. Considering that 1 in 20 people
over the age of 40 develops glaucoma, it’s a fairly common disease.
Furthermore, there is no established method to restore damaged optic nerves, so it’s important to detect glaucoma early and prevent its progression.
Has Eye Frailty started yet?
Glaucoma is not the only thing that causes eye function to deteriorate.
Eye frailty is a condition in which eye function deteriorates due to age-related changes and various stresses.
Frailty is a condition in which various bodily functions decline with age, making people susceptible to health problems. This is the stage before the need for nursing care. For
purposes of terminology. “Eye Frail” means eye frailty.
Do any of the items on the checklist below apply to you?
□ Eyes get tired easily
□ It may be difficult to see in the evening
□ I no longer look at newspapers or books for long periods of time.
□ I sometimes leave the table messy when I eat.
□ I often feel like I can’t see well even when I wear glasses
□ Vision easily feels “dazzled”.
□ You may not be able to see clearly unless you blink.
□ Straight lines may appear wavy.
□ Steps or stairs feel dangerous.
□ Have you ever overlooked a traffic light or road sign?
From the Japan Ophthalmology Awareness Council Eye Frail Awareness official website
Get an eye exam when you turn 40
If two or more of the above items apply, Eye Frail should be suspected. Get an eye exam by an ophthalmologist as soon as possible.
In addition, the Eye Frailty Self-Check Tool (https://www.eye-frail.jp/checklist/tenken/) on the Eye Frailty Awareness official website of the Japan Ophthalmology Awareness Council is
also recommended. It is a tool that allows you to self-check for visual field defects, visual quality, dry eye, etc. Please take advantage of this as well.
Even if you don’t have any particular issues related to the checklist or self-examination, you should have an eye exam at least once if you are over 40 years of age. Eye exams are
almost or completely painless. If you detect the disease before there are any symptoms and start treatment early, you can prevent deterioration such as blindness, and preserve the
quality of your life.
Takanawadai Eye Clinic, located on the 7th floor of Medical Prime Takanawa, offers eye examinations. Please feel free to contact us.
reference
Japan Ophthalmology Awareness Council Eye Frail Awareness Official Website
https://www.eye-frail.jp/