PUTRAJAYA: As many as 160,000 Malaysians aged 50 and above suffer low vision, with 8% of them having blindness, according to the results of the National Eye Survey III (NES III) conducted by the Health Ministry.
The NES III, conducted from July to October in the Eastern Zone – comprising Pahang, Kelantan and Terengganu – and Sarawak Zone, studied the prevalence of blindness and vision problems among Malaysians ages 50 and above.
Based on its findings, the prevalence of blindness in the Eastern and Sarawak zones dropped significantly compared with the NES II in 2014, said ophthalmologist (public health) Dr Mohamad Aziz Salowi, who is also an NES III researcher.
“In NES III, six out of 1,000 Sarawak residents experienced blindness compared with 16 out of 1,000 residents in 2014,” he told reporters after the NES III launch here yesterday, reported Bernama.
For the Eastern Zone, eight out of 1,000 residents experienced blindness in NES III compared with 14 out of 1,000 people in 2014.
Dr Mohamad Aziz said the main causes of blindness in both zones were cataracts, diabetic retinopathy and glaucoma.
Earlier, Deputy Health Minister Datuk Lukanisman Awang Sauni in his opening speech said that as of September, between 55,000 and 60,000 cataract operations involving individuals ages 60 and above were conducted in 49 specialist Health Ministry hospitals.
The ministry implemented the Health Ministry Cataract Clinic (KKMOH) programme in 2013 to systematically overcome the burden of cataract cases by creating Cataract Free Zones (projects) throughout the country.
KKMOH aims to improve services in dealing with blindness, especially caused by cataracts, and provides access to eye examinations and treatment, especially to those living in rural areas.
Cataracts happen when the eye’s natural lens becomes cloudy and can be likened to a window that is partially covered with dirt.
They occur as a result of ageing, eye injuries, certain diseases or by taking some types of drugs.
