ARE YOU at RISK of MACULAR DEGENERATION? I Know I Am
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A SPECIAL SECTION BY MEDIAPLanET TO THE DAILY TELEGRAPH No.1/September 2012 VISION & EYE HEALTH 3TIPS TO MAINTAIN GOOD EYE HEALTH ARE YOU AT RISK OF MACULAR DEGENERATION? I know I am. Ita Buttrose. PHOTO: ROSS COFFEY 2 · SEPTEMBER 2012 A SPECIAL SECTION BY MEDIAPLanET TO THE DAILY TELEGRAPH ChaLLENGes How does the future look for eye health in Australia? With eye disease on the rise as our population ages rapidly, it is time for us to get smart about our eye health. By simply visiting your optometrist and getting regular eye WE RECOMMEND health examinations, you can increase the chance of having a clearer future. Ita Buttrose, celebrity patron for Macular Degeneration Foundation, about keeping your eyes healthy. PHOTO: MD PagE 7 FOUNDATION Preventative eye health “My father had Macular Degeneration and I saw the impact this had on him in makes good sense later life. There are preventive measures lmost 575,000 crease to as much as eight times, “In 2009, the immediately if there are any to help reduce the Australians over admission to a nursing home can changes to eyesight risk of developing this 40 are blind or occur three years earlier and they annual cost in ■■quitting smoking to reduce the vision impaired are twice as likely to use health ser- risk of cataracts and age-related disease.” and this figure vices. macular degeneration Refreshing outlook p. 8 Australia was ■■ Athough Dry Eyes have become is set to increase There is also an economic cost wearing a hat and UV absorbing extremely common and sometimes in the next eight associated with vision impairment estimated to be sunglasses debilitating for many Australians, years to 800,000 as Australia’s and blindness. In 2009, the annual ■■maintaining a healthy weight there are many treatments now A available to give comfort. population ages, unless we are pro- cost in Australia was estimated to $16.6 billion.” ■■wearing protective goggles and Made in the shade p. 5 active about looking after our eyes. be $16.6 billion. glasses at work or home, and With summer on its way, it’s The consequences of blindness The good news is that 75 per cent ■■keeping blood sugar, blood important to remember to protect your precious eyes. and vision impairment are far of blindness and vision loss is pre- cholesterol levels under control. reaching. ventable or treatable and there are Early prevention makes sense People who are blind or vision a number of things we can do to Jennifer because it saves sight, saves Gersbeck impaired have twice the risk of sus- prevent it or slow down its progres- CEO, Vision money and increases the chance of taining a fall, three times increased sion including: 2020 Australia healthy ageing. PHOTO: JENNIFER GERSBECK risk of suffering from depression, ■■having regular eye tests VISION2020 AUSTralia their risk of hip fractures can in- ■■visiting an eye care professional [email protected] VISION & EYE HEALth FIRST EDITION, SEPTEMBER 2012 Responsible for this issue: Publisher: Elana McIntyre [email protected] Designer: Alana Giordano Looking into private health funds [email protected] Managing Director: Gustav Aspegren [email protected] It is estimated that 1.2 for other eye health services, in- surgery and physical therapy for treated by their own doctor, and Contributors: Sabrina Houssami, million Australians put off cluding consultations relating to the eyes. And with many health have greater control over when and Sarah McKenzie, Jasmin Leete, seeing vision and eye Glaucoma Australia, Macular the prescribing of glasses or con- care providers offering on-the-spot where they are treated. And with Degeneration Foundation, Vision health specialists despite tact lenses. HICAPS (Health Industry Claims the government providing a re- Australia, Guide Dogs NSW/ACT, concerns about their Vision2020/Vision Initiative, What Medicare generally won’t and Payments Services), patients bate of up to 40 per cent on health RANZCO Eye Foundation eyesight. And the reason cover, however, is the cost of glass- can receive immediate payment insurance premiums, comprehen- cited for not taking action? Photos: All photos courtesy of es, contact lenses or vision therapy, from their health fund without sive quality care is more accessible istockphoto.com unless noted otherwise. It seems that most are and this is where private health queuing or form filling. than ever. worried about the cost. Distributed within: funds step in. But aside from extra services So it seems that 1.2 million Aus- The Daily Telegraph, September 2012 not covered by Medicare, there are tralians no longer have an excuse. This section was created by Mediaplanet What Medicare will and How private health care and did not involve the Daily Telegraph or many other benefits for health fund With the Medicare system and a its Editorial Departments. won’t cover fits in members – ones that may be par- wide range of private health fund FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK AND Many people are unaware that Depending on your level of cover, ticularly beneficial for people with options available, everybody can TWITTER! www.facebook.com/MediaplanetCA Medicare fully covers the cost of a private health funds may pay for existing vision problems or a fam- afford quality eye care. www.twitter.com/MediaplanetCA comprehensive eye examination frames, prescription lenses, con- ilial history of vision impairment. Mediaplanet’s business is to create new performed by an optometrist once tact lenses and certain lens cover- Private health fund members ex- customers for our advertisers by providing every two years. For eligible people, ings. They may also cover cataract perience shorter waiting times for SARAH MCKENZIE readers with high quality content that motivates them to act. Medicare may also provide rebates and eye lens procedures, laser eye elective surgery, can choose to be [email protected] 4 · SEPTEMBER 2012 A SPECIAL SECTION BY MEDIAPLanET TO THE DAILY TELEGRAPH insiGht es are the other option. These can provide better outcomes for people with more complex vision A close problems. Contact lens care for healthy eyes up on When looking into contact lens- es, you will most likely weigh up factors such as convenience, safe- ty and lifestyle. It is also worth contact remembering that clean contact lenses ensures healthy eyes. A daily process of lens care in- volves careful hand washing be- fore your contact lenses are re- lenses moved and a lens cleaning solu- Once regarded as fiddly, irritating tion applied. Each lens should or unsuitable for complex vision be gently rubbed for at least ten problems, today’s contact lenses seconds, before being rinsed with provide a clear and comfortable a cleaning solution, placed in a alternative to glasses. But with so lens case filled with fresh solution many options available, how do and soaked for a minimum of six you work out which contact lenses hours. are right for you? With recent innovations in contact lens design and lens care products, people who wear glasses See your optometrist be prescribed soft contact lenses, even those who require multifocal at Alcon Australia, says, “Multi- can be potential contact lens wear- Your first port of call should be manufactured from flexible plas- glasses can wear contact lenses. focal contact lenses are great for ers. Even if you’ve been put off in your optometrist. They will deter- tic materials and able to correct Various contact lens companies people in their 40s and 50s who, in- the past, perhaps now is the time mine what type of contact lens most kinds of focusing errors. Most produce multifocal contact lens- stead of reaching for reading glass- to take a closer look at whether and wearing schedule is most suit- are designed for daily wear with es that use high-precision tech- es, want to maintain a youthful ap- contact lenses are right for you? able, as well as set regular visits to monthly disposable and daily sin- nology to smoothly transition be- pearance. Those that allow oxygen ensure ongoing eye health. gle use contact lenses available, and tween near, intermediate and dis- to reach the eye’s surface are com- some can even be worn overnight. tant vision. fortable to wear all day, every day Innovations in lenses New developments in soft con- Lauren Richard, optometrist for healthy-looking eyes.” SARAH MCKENZIE In up to 90 percent of cases you’ll tact lens technology mean that and Professional Affairs Manager Gas permeable contact lens- [email protected] A SPECIAL SECTION BY MEDIAPLanET TO THE DAILY TELEGRAPH SEPTEMBER 2012 · 5 TIP INSIGHT 1 DON’T MISS! age. A regular and comprehen- Have A SUN DAMAGE comPrehenSive sive eye check from age 50 is your eye health Geoff checK-UP AT Pollard best defence against all eye dis- leaST every two National eases, especially glaucoma. If you yearS at yoUR Executive OPtometriST Officer, have risk factors such as a posi- AND YOUR EYES Glaucoma tive family history of glaucoma Sun protection Australia when we purchase a new pair of ways be prepared for times where PHOTO: (ask your family), or are of African JORDAN We all love our sunnies, summer sunglasses, we should check that there is little or no shade. Wheth- POLLARD descent; start getting regular eye and the brighter months approach- they meet Australian standards er enjoying the beach, skiing the health checks from age 40. ing. Once the warmer months set (look for ‘AS/NZS 1067:2003’ on the slopes or showing off your UVR- Don’t let glaucoma Glaucoma is detected by a sim- in it is easy to forget that the sun label) and have a UVR rating of 2 or safe sunnies on your luxury yacht darken your life ple check of the optic nerve head can harm our eyes.