Advisory

Important advisory for infants and children

Advisory for patients with ocular trauma

Advisory for patients or families with special ocular conditions

Advisory for patients wearing high powered lenses or those who have undergone Laser refractive surgery (LASIK)

Advisory for patients with systemic diseases/drug intake

Important advisory for infants and children

Retinopathy of Prematurity (ROP) is abnormal blood vessel development in the retina of the eye in a premature infant which may lead to irreversible blindness, often bilateral. All pre-term babies are at risk of ROP and should have one compulsory eye examination before 30 days of life. Smaller babies should be screened earlier by 20 days of life.

All children must undergo eye examinations at least at the ages of 6 months, 2 years and at school entry, for detection of common paediatric eye conditions. Chances of vision in affected eyes are very poor if there is delay in diagnosis of these conditions.

All children must get their eyes checked at least yearly, and those who wear spectacles should get their eyes checked at least 6 monthly

Children who have problems concentrating at studies or those who have problems reading the blackboard at school must get their eyes examined. If a child tends to keep his books close to his eyes when studying, he or she may have an eye problem and must be brought for checkup at the earliest.

Advisory for patients with ocular trauma

If you have been hit in the eye with some object, seemingly no injuries visible from outside may be associated with injuries to the wall of the eye or the light-sensitive layer inside the eye that can result in permanent visual impairment, that needs pupil dilation and inspection of the interior of the eye using advanced eye instruments. In case of mechanical trauma, you should not rub the eye or put water in the eye or any eye drops without the opinion of a qualified practitioner of modern medicine. In case of chemical injury, you should immediately wash the eye with at least 500ml of distilled water or running tap water. Then seek medical opinion as soon as possible.

Advisory for patients or families with special ocular conditions

All individuals (including newborn children) with father, mother, grandfather, grandmother or siblings having glaucoma, myopia, light coloured skin, hair or eyes, inability to see in dark, any congenital deformity, clouding of the front part of their eyes, or any known genetic disorder, should get their eyes examined regularly.

Advisory for pregnant ladies

All ladies of childbearing age planning pregnancy or currently pregnant should consult an ophthalmologist and get their eyes examined before, during and after pregnancy to look for pre-existing risk factors or any ocular changes as a result of pregnancy. One should avoid undergoing any eye surgery during pregnancy.

Advisory for patients wearing high powered lenses or those who have undergone Laser refractive surgery (LASIK)

Persons with thick minus-power lenses (high myopia) or those who have had their spectacles removed through laser refractive surgery, should get their eyes examined yearly, as well as on emergency basis if they see flashes or light while sitting in the dark, or sudden increase in number of floaters (black strands in the field of vision), or a curtain over part of their field of vision.

Advisory for patients with systemic diseases/drug intake

Kindly tell your doctor about all your previous diagnoses, medications used, allergies and eye interventions including spectacle use and surgeries even if he does not ask specifically for it.

It is a good idea to bring all previous records, like papers, scan reports, CDs, lens boxes, old and/or broken spectacles, contact lenses and medication bottles last used etc., even if they do not seem to be related to your eye disorder or current complaint.

Patients with diabetes, hypertension, dyslipidemia, obesity, ankylosing spondylitis, rheumatoid arthritis and tuberculosis are at increased risk of eye diseases and must get checked at least yearly even if asymptomatic.

Patients advised drugs like hydroxychloroquine, steroids, amiodarone and topiramate should get their eyes examined before starting these drugs and at least yearly thereafter to look for pre-existing ocular conditions and adverse effects of these drugs, or if any fresh ocular complaint arises

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