Two eye treatments for the price of one

Oct 11, 2014

The Straits Times

By Salma Khalik

Get your astigmatism corrected too when you have your cataract or clouded lens removed.

Gleneagles Hospital has bought an $80,000 machine that, coupled with its bladeless cutter, makes the lens placement following the removal of the cataract so accurate that it can even adjust for astigmatism, where vision is distorted or blurred.

Dr Lee Hung Meng, the first ophthalmologist here to use the new system, said it can map the eye, and adjust for any change that occurs when a person lies down. It can also track the centre of the eye, which might shift after the eye is dilated before the procedure. This way, when an incision is made and the new artificial lens is inserted, it will still be centred exactly at the right spot.

Dr Lee added that in eye surgery, a 0.2-0.3mm difference can impact the outcome, making vision less than perfect.

So far 30 patients have benefited from its accuracy since the new machine was acquired in end August. The public sector does not use such equipment currently but the National University Hospital said it is evaluating several machines that provide equally good outcomes. With close to 40,000 cataracts removed here each year - or over 100 every day - cataract surgery is one of the most common eye treatments, especially among older people.

Correcting the problem is simple and quick, taking only about 15 to 20 minutes. Cost varies from about $1,000 for subsidised patients to as high as $9,000 for private patients, for each eye, depending on the lens and method.

Mr S.K. Chan, 59, one of the first to have his cataract done using the new equipment at Gleneagles, said it was well worth the extra $60 for using the new machine. This was for his right eye.

The electronic chip trader said the cataract in his left eye was done earlier without the new device. His verdict: "There's a slight difference. The right eye feels better and has recovered faster."

Appreciation for MDS at AMD Awareness Week 2014

Organisers of the AMD Awareness Week presenting a token of appreciation to MDS secretary Peh Shing Huei for the society's support and partnership of the annual event. 

Macular pigment levels could be key to determining risk of developing AMD

The first-ever local study led by Khoo Teck Puat Hospital, which examined 95 Singaporean Chinese participants, revealed that low macular pigment levels may be useful to determine a person's risk of developing Age-related Macular Degeneration (AMD).

Channel News Asia

Oct 11, 2014

SINGAPORE: Low macular pigment levels - which is a layer to protect the eye's retina from damage - may be useful to determine a person's risk of developing Age-related Macular Degeneration (AMD).

AMD is a degenerative eye condition that affects a tiny part of the retina at the back of the eye, called the macula. It causes blurring of central vision, but does not lead to total loss of sight and is not painful. It also results in poor vision and thus significantly affects one's quality of life.

This came out of a first-ever local study led by Khoo Teck Puat Hospital which examined 95 Singaporean Chinese participants. The study also found that 15 per cent of the participants who had this condition were older and overweight. Females also had lower levels of macular pigment compared to males.

Launching the AMD Awareness Week, Senior Minister of State for Health Dr Amy Khor said educating Singaporeans about the two types of AMD could improve disease control. "The dry form is more common and slower in progression," added Dr Khor. "It can be controlled by managing modifiable risk factors such as smoking, increasing dietary intake of green leafy vegetables and other measures.

"For the less common wet form of AMD, it is more progressive but vision can be preserved and even improved if the disease is detected early and treated promptly."

In Singapore, Age-related Macular Degeneration is the third most common cause of blindness and low vision for those above 60 years old. It also affects one's quality of life and doctors say that early prevention and detection is crucial to ensure that seniors do not suffer from this condition.

A 2006 study by Khoo Teck Puat Hospital (KTPH) showed that only 7.3 per cent of Singapore residents interviewed were aware of Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD). This was much lower than the awareness levels in countries like the United States, Canada and Australia.

But a follow-up study in 2011 showed that awareness levels for AMD had increased to 28 per cent - a four-fold increase over five years. This could be attributed to the increased efforts by eye professionals on raising the awareness of AMD among Singaporeans.

本地研究：视网膜黄斑色素分布可预测 超重华族年长者黄斑病变风险高

Oct 12, 2014

Lianhe Zaobao

黎远漪

yuanyi@sph.com.sg

邱德拔医院眼科部门医生尼兰解释，数据显示女性比男性更可能患上老年黄斑病变，相信与男女的荷尔蒙情况与脂肪代谢有别有关。

本地一项研究发现，视网膜黄斑色素分布较少且异常的超重华族年长者更可能患上老年黄斑病变，这个研究结果预示黄斑色素分布普查，或许可成为预测公众会否患上老年黄斑病变的重要检测工具。

视网膜里有个重要的部分称为黄斑（Macula），它在视网膜中心部位，决定眼睛的精细和中心视觉。老年黄斑病变（Age-related Macular Degeneration）是一种因老化导致眼后视网膜上黄斑退化产生病变的眼疾，它会影响患者的中央视力。

病症初期症状不明显，不过随着黄斑退化，病人会发现笔直线条扭曲变形，视野中央会有黑点或阴影遮住视力。

邱德拔医院眼科部门医生尼兰（Kumari Neelam）带领团队，在2009年6月至隔年12月就95名介于21岁至68岁的华族新加坡人展开的一项研究发现，女性的黄斑色素比男性来得少。

此外，那些因超重而对患上老年黄斑病变有较高风险的年长者，视网膜上的黄斑色素较少，而且分布情况异常。

尼兰昨天在2014年老人黄斑病意识周开幕仪式后受访时说，一般人视网膜上的黄斑色素会高浓度地集中在视网膜中心，但15％接受调查公众的黄斑色素的集中浓度却不高。

“过去也有非亚洲国家的研究显示这一情况，但本地之前并没这类数据，相信这是本地首次就国人的视网膜黄斑色素分布展开研究。”

尼兰解释，数据显示女性比男性更可能患上老年黄斑病变，相信与男女的荷尔蒙情况与脂肪代谢有别有关。

至于为何超重年长者较可能患上老年黄斑病变，可能原因是超重者的脂肪细胞较多，会吸收较多促进黄斑色素生产的胡萝卜素（carotenoids），因而减少了视网膜黄斑内的胡萝卜素。

尼兰目前正在就马来族和印族同胞进行类似调查，待收集更多数据证实黄斑色素分布普查，或许可作为预测国人患上老年黄斑病变的重要检测工具。这样一来，本地在未来或许也会如一些国家那样，将黄斑色素分布普查融入一般眼科检查内，辨识对患上老年黄斑病变有较高风险的病人。

老年黄斑病变是一种无法完全康复的症状，各种治疗方案只能减缓或阻止患者的病情继续恶化。因此给予患者即时的诊治有助稳定病人的视力。

病人应多摄取颜色鲜艳蔬果

尼兰说：“对于那些面对较高风险的病人，我们会鼓励他们多摄取颜色鲜艳的蔬果，以补充体内的叶黄素（Lutein）和玉米黄素（Zeaxanthin）等，它们可促进黄斑色素的产生，相信可保护视网膜，免受氧化损伤。”

卫生部兼人力部高级政务部长许连碹博士昨天出席活动时说，老年黄斑病变是新加坡第三大最常导致60岁以上年长者失明或视力衰退的疾病。本地也有研究显示，约5.1％超过40岁的成人患有初期老年黄斑病变，0.5％患有末期老年黄斑病变。

根据邱德拔医院眼科部门的研究，在2006年，只有7.3％国人曾听过老年黄斑病变，到了2011年，在各方不断的宣导教育下，曾听过老年黄斑病变的人数已增至28％。

Docs support eye test to reduce risk of blindness

The Sunday Times

Oct 12, 2014

By Priscilla Goy

An eye test that is currently not available here could help prevent more people from going blind. Macular pigment screening, which is done in countries such as Britain, could complement existing eye checks to narrow down who is most at risk, and doctors hope this could be done here in future.

The macula is the central part of the retina and produces the sharpest vision. Its pigment is believed to protect the light-sensitive retina from damage.

A local study of 95 Singaporean Chinese has revealed that abnormally low levels of the pigment were found in older and overweight people, who are known to have a higher risk of developing age-related macular degeneration (AMD), a leading cause of blindness in older people.

"This suggests that macular pigment screening may be a useful approach to predict one's risk of developing AMD so that early pre-emptive measures such as lifestyle changes can be initiated," said Dr Yip Chee Chew of Khoo Teck Puat Hospital.

Dr Yip, head of the hospital's department of ophthalmology and visual sciences, announced the findings yesterday. The study team was led by Dr Kumari Neelam, a clinician-scientist in the same department.

The researchers are doing similar studies on Malays and Indians as well, to better understand the importance of such screening for these ethnic groups here.

Yesterday also marked the launch of AMD Awareness Week, which is now in its 10th year.

AMD becomes more common with age. It is the third most common cause of blindness for people aged over 60 here. Awareness is important, said Senior Minister of State for Health Amy Khor at the event yesterday.

"Blindness is a disability most feared by people, and yet not many know what AMD is about," she said. Prevention and early detection of potentially blinding conditions are crucial to help the elderly lead independent and active lives, she added.

As part of AMD Awareness Week, restructured hospitals and optical shops will be offering eye screening to those aged 50 and above for $10 till next Sunday.

Pre-registration is required. Visit www.ktph.com.sg for more details.

MDS scores at Eye and Vision Health Award

Our secretary, Peh Shing Huei, was awarded the Eye and Vision Health Award at AMD Awareness Week 2014 for his contribution to low vision awareness and support in Singapore. 

MDS was also given a token of appreciation for being a partner of AMD Awareness Week, a collaboration which we have maintained since our inception in 2007. 

Congratulation Peh Shing Huei and good job, MDS!