What is cataract and diabetic retinopathy, understand with expert Dr Mahipal Singh Sachdev

Dr Mahipal Singh Sachdev of Centre For Sight has been working for better eye care since decades. We sat down with him and talked about the issues related to eyes.

He said, “One of the most common diseases impacting the eyes is cataract. It’s a condition in which the original lenses of the eyes become opaque due to the denaturation of protein and ageing. There is no medicine treatment in such a condition and that’s why one needs to go for surgery.”

He added, “The retina of person becomes weaker with age causing sight-threatening complications.”

Sachdev also blamed changed lifestyle for poor eye conditions. “The use of smartphones and increased screen time has been affecting the eyes. During the lockdown, people spent more time on phones and that is causing issues. It has happened in India and other parts of the world. In countries such as Korean and Japan, people needing higher power myopic lenses is very high.”

Environmental pollution is also contributing to the problem in a lot of cities causing ocular surface disease. In this, patients feel dry, itchy and scratchy eyes,” he continued.

Watch | DNA Health Plus with Dr Mahipal Singh Sachdev

Dr Sachdev further said, “The type of food people are eating, India becoming the diabetic capital of the world, growing hypertension issues, having adverse effects on eyes. In developed countries, diabetic retinopathy is a major problem.”

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