Ubat titis mata sebabkan Buta

Ubat titis mata sebabkan Buta

Tahukah anda penggunaan ubat titis mata yang berlebihan dan melebihi dos boleh menyebabkan kebutaan? Biasanya orang menggunakan ubat titis jenis steroids bagi meredakan radang dalam mata.

Radang mata disebabkan oleh habuk kecil yang merengsa mata menjadi merah, bengkak dan berair. Habuk ini masuk ketika menunggang motosikal atau bekerja sebagai nelayan dimana pasir halus senang masuk ke dalam mata.

Juga biasa berlaku kepada pekerja yang bekerja di kilang yang berhabuk atau dipenuhi sisa kapas.

Boleh juga terdapat di kalangan petani yang berduel dengan habuk. Pekerja industry binaan dan sebagainya.

Justeru jangan suka membeli ubat titis mata tanpa bertanya kepada doktor atau pegawai Farmasi terlebih dahulu.

Over-the-counter-eye-drops-can-lead-to-blindness

Are you one of those who use eye drops without a prescription? Long-term use of self-prescribed eye drops that contain steroids can lead to glaucoma, a disease that causes degeneration of cells in the optic nerve resulting in loss of vision, warn ophthalmologists who are seeing an increase in such cases.

"Two out of every 10 patients who self prescribe eye drops are turning up with steroid induced glaucoma," says ophthalmologist Dr Sridhar Rao of Su-Darshan eye clinic. "Some eye drops have steroids that are prescribed for a short duration and for a specific purpose. Use of these drops for long can be dangerous, especially in children," said Dr Rao, who sees several such cases.

Experts say children are prone to the problem as parents often administer eye drops to them without prescription. Children can contract allergic conjunctivitis because of increased pollen grains in the air during the spring season. While elders are immune to this phenomenon, children can get easily affected. The eye turns red and the person experiences a burning sensation and itching in the eyes. "Most parents, instead of consulting with a doctor, pick up eye drops from a medical store and administer it to their kids. But prolonged use of steroid-induced eye drops can cause extreme pressure on the optic nerve and damage it permanently," said the doctor. Adults too, especially those who use steroid eye drops post liver or kidney transplants are also at risk of suffering glaucoma.

Dr Amal Agarwal, senior ophthalmologist, Agarwal Eye Hospitals says that conjunctivitis could be due to a number of reasons and people administering eye drops indiscriminately could make matters worse. "Recently I treated a patient who used steroid-induced eye drops without prescription for more than a year for simple conjunctivitis and damaged his cornea beyond repair. He eventually lost his vision because damage of optic nerve due to glaucoma cannot be reversed," he said.

The doctor said that most people prefer self medication mostly because they are too lazy to visit a doctor. "But what they don't understand is that the eye is a very delicate organ and wrong medication can harm it," he added.

Ophthalmologists advise people using eye drops for a long time to check the eye pressure periodically. "The dose is important," says Dr Ravindran, senior ophthalmologist at Balaji Eye Clinic. "Administering eye drops beyond the prescribed dose can be dangerous. Never pick up drugs from a medical store without prescription," he cautions.

side-effects-steroid-eye-drops

Using-steroid-eyedrops-lead-blindness

Self- medication should be avoided under all circumstances, but it can prove to be particularly dangerous when it comes to your eyes. Watch out before you put steroidal eyedrops in your eyes at your own will to get fast relief from allergies. 

Eye specialists are finding cases of glaucoma and even near blindness induced due to uncontrolled use of steroidal eyedrops. The problem is more common in children. 

Up to 10 per cent of children who visit the OPD for eye problems every day are cases of eye allergy, according to specialists in the hospitals. 

Of these, one to two per cent are those with side effects because of steroids. Some of these side effects are very serious and include cases of near blindness. 

Blindness induced by glaucoma is not reversible. 

'We see many patients of steroid misuse and overuse and complications arising due to these. The cases are more common in children since allergies are more common in them,' Dr M.D. Singh, glaucoma expert at Ram Manohar Lohiya Hospital said. 

These may also lead to development of cataract and flaring up of corneal infection.