500,000 Filipinos unnecessarily suffering from cataracts, experts say

Half a million Filipinos are suffering from cataracts and other forms of blindness, experts said yesterday.

Health Undersecretary Jade del Mundo said the country’s economic gains dropped in 2002 by 13 percent because of lost productivity and medical expenses incurred by people afflicted with cataracts.

On the other hand, Health Secretary Francisco Duque III noted that 75 percent of blindness cases in the Philippines can be prevented and treated.

Quality eye care could help prevent blindness, as targeted under a program of the government and private organizations, dubbed "Vision 2020," he added.

Most cases of blindness are caused by cataracts, characterized by the clouding of the normally clear lens of one or both eyes.

It usually affects older people or those whose eyes have been injured or traumatized due to infection, among other things.

The Department of Health and the Philippine Academy of Ophthalmology spearheaded yesterday the celebration of the "Sight Saving Month" this August.

Records showed that 62 percent of the 500,000 blindness cases are caused by bilateral cataract — in which both eyes are sight-impaired.

Results of the 2002 National Survey on Blindness and Low Vision showed that the prevalence of blindness in the Philippines went down from 1.07 percent in 1987 to 0.70 percent in 1995, and to 0.58 percent in 2002.

The survey further showed that the prevalence rate was highest in Cagayan Valley because the area was economically underserved and lowest in CARAGA because of the region’s relatively young population.

The decrease in blindness was primarily attributed to the efforts of ophthalmologists to conduct surgical missions across the country over the past 15 years.

Worldwide, it is estimated that some 45 million people are blind and this number will continue to grow to 75 million by the year 2020 if preventive efforts are not undertaken.

Under this year’s program, PAO is set to conduct simultaneous cataract operations on pre-screened patients on Aug. 17 in 77 different sites nationwide to help reach the goal of "Vision 2020."

The academy also intends to form local sight preservation councils in each province to help address blindness at the provincial level.