Survey: 216,000 Malaysians became blind because of cataracts

A National Eye Survey (NES) conducted in 2014 found 216,000 Malaysians became blind because of delays in cataract surgery and that the condition also caused 272,000 others to be visually impaired.

Selayang Hospital ophthalmologist Dr Mohamad Aziz Salowi said the ambivalent attitude of not taking heed of the necessity to have cataract surgery among people with operable cataracts was among the factors leading to the high number of cataract cases in Malaysia.

He said diabetic eye disease was the second commonest cause of blindness in Malaysia, constituting about 10 per cent of the blindness cases and six percent for low vision while glaucoma was the third leading cause, contribution to seven per cent where it came to blindness and two per cent low vision.

"The survey also found 63,000 Malaysians aged 50 years and above who were blind with 60 per cent of them treatable, while 350,000 of people at in same age group had low vision with 80 per cent of them treatable," he told a press conference in conjunction with World Sight Day 2016 at the Ophthalmology Department, Kuala Lumpur Hospital (HKL), here.

Dr Mohamad Aziz, who is also the programme coordinator for Klinik Katarak 1Malaysia (KK1M), said the government initiated KK1M in 2013 to reach out to the under-served population in remote areas towards providing cataract surgery services.

Meanwhile, HKL neuro-ophthalmologist Dr Lakanakumar Thavaratnam said that in conjunction with World Sight Day 2016, HKL will organise a campaign and exhibition to bring awareness to the public on the preventable causes of blindness in Malaysia at Dataran Sogo here on Sunday (Oct 16).

The programme, from 9am until 4pm, will also offer free eye screening to the public. -- BERNAMA