Media
Very low awareness here of macular degeneration
By Judith Tan
Blindness is the disability most feared by people and yet, few have even heard the term "macular degeneration". But with a rapidly ageing population and the increasing prevalence of severe myopia among Singaporeans, doctors warn that macular degeneration could become a major public health concern.
In order to spread the word about a little-known but devastating condition, and to provide support to those who suffer from it, a group of people got together to form the Macular Degeneration Society (MDS). The society will be the first self-help group for macular degeneration patients here.
The society's adviser, Associate Professor Au Eong Kah Guan, said that a recent telephone survey conducted by his department last year revealed that 90 per cent of people most feared the loss of sight. "Yet, only seven in 100 were aware of what macular degeneration was," he said.
Prof Au Eong, who heads the ophthalmology department at Alexandra Hospital, said this is particularly worrying as the condition is the most common cause of blindness in developed countries.
"And as the proportion of elderly in our population increases, the prevalence of AMD is expected to go up too. The pattern of blindness here will gradually follow that of other developed countries," he said.
Prof Au Eong said the disease afflicts not just the aged, but also the young – especially those with high myopia.
Retired civil engineer Sam Fong, 63, is concerned enough to set up a support group for sufferers and their caregivers. Mr Fong, who is the president of MDS, suffers from glaucoma, a condition in which the optic nerve at the back of the eye is damaged and eventually causes
blindness.
"People with MD usually cannot perform daily activities such as reading or making a cup of coffee. This results in anxiety and depression. So peer support is crucial to coping with the effects of vision loss," he said.
"Our aim is to help those with MD to continue living independently with the use of technology. As a group, we also hope to send a strong message to society about the importance of patient support groups in rehabilitation of degenerative eye diseases."
By Judith Tan
Blindness is the disability most feared by people and yet, few have even heard the term "macular degeneration". But with a rapidly ageing population and the increasing prevalence of severe myopia among Singaporeans, doctors warn that macular degeneration could become a major public health concern.
In order to spread the word about a little-known but devastating condition, and to provide support to those who suffer from it, a group of people got together to form the Macular Degeneration Society (MDS). The society will be the first self-help group for macular degeneration patients here.
The society's adviser, Associate Professor Au Eong Kah Guan, said that a recent telephone survey conducted by his department last year revealed that 90 per cent of people most feared the loss of sight. "Yet, only seven in 100 were aware of what macular degeneration was," he said.
Prof Au Eong, who heads the ophthalmology department at Alexandra Hospital, said this is particularly worrying as the condition is the most common cause of blindness in developed countries.
"And as the proportion of elderly in our population increases, the prevalence of AMD is expected to go up too. The pattern of blindness here will gradually follow that of other developed countries," he said.
Prof Au Eong said the disease afflicts not just the aged, but also the young – especially those with high myopia.
Retired civil engineer Sam Fong, 63, is concerned enough to set up a support group for sufferers and their caregivers. Mr Fong, who is the president of MDS, suffers from glaucoma, a condition in which the optic nerve at the back of the eye is damaged and eventually causes
blindness.
"People with MD usually cannot perform daily activities such as reading or making a cup of coffee. This results in anxiety and depression. So peer support is crucial to coping with the effects of vision loss," he said.
"Our aim is to help those with MD to continue living independently with the use of technology. As a group, we also hope to send a strong message to society about the importance of patient support groups in rehabilitation of degenerative eye diseases."
| The Straits Times (May 30th, 2007) |
| Berita Harian (June 7, 2007) |
| Lianhe Zaobao (May 30, 2007) |
| Lianhe Wanbao (18 June 2007) |
© 2007 - 2015 MACULAR DEGENERATION SOCIETY
