EARLY detection of eye-disease can either prevent or delay blindness.
That's why free eye-disease screening tests will be offered for a month to the public by the League of Friends of the Blind (Lofob) in Grassy Park and Torga Optical in Liberty Promenade Mall, Mitchells Plain.
League spokesperson Heidi Volkwijn said Lofob had to cope with a steady increase in the number of blind cases where vision loss could have been prevented or delayed with early detection.
Screenings would be conducted every Tuesday to Thursday between 9am and 5pm at Torga Optical, said Volkwijn.
During the month-long campaign Lofob would focus on detecting conditions such as cataracts, glaucoma and diabetic retinopathy, which rank among the leading causes of blindness worldwide, she said.
Research indicated 75 percent of blindness could be prevented, which was especially true with glaucoma, while individuals living with the condition could lose up to 40 percent of their sight before they noticed there is a problem, she said.
“Even though Glaucoma cannot be cured, vision loss can be delayed with treatment. The majority of these eye diseases do not cause pain or discomfort. They are silent swindlers of sight."
She said those most at risk of acquiring cataracts, glaucoma and diabetic retinopathy include people over 40, people with a family history of glaucoma and those with eye injury.
“On average, 120 new referrals are made to Lofob every year for one or other kind of (vision-loss related) service.”
Contact Torga Optical at 021 376 4865/5419 or Lofob at 021 705 3753 for an eye test appointment.