SOUTH Africa’s high diabetes, hypertension (commonly called BP) and UV exposure rates boost cataract risk, an issue that has been brought to the fore this Word Cataract Awareness Month – June.

Spec-Savers South Africa is challenging one of the most persistent myths in eye health, that cataracts are an old person’s condition. The science tells a different story and for South Africans, the risk factors are unusually close to home.

Spec-Savers South Africa’s director of marketing Lauren Baker said cataracts are responsible for nearly 45% of global blindness, yet the condition is highly treatable when caught early.

“What fewer people realise is that age is only one piece of the picture. Diabetes, UV light exposure, and certain medications are all established drivers of cataract development and research shows people with diabetes are approximately twice as likely to develop cataracts, and often at a younger age,” said Baker.

Baker added that South Africa carries a significant burden of all three.

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“The country has one of the highest rates of diabetes in sub-Saharan Africa, levels of UV exposure that rank among the most intense in the world, and a growing population of adults in their 40s and 50s who have never had a comprehensive eye examination.

“South African research has confirmed that people living with  diabetes are almost twice as likely to self-report a cataract diagnosis compared to those without the condition. Hypertension, which affects an estimated one in three South African adults, was also found to nearly triple the likelihood of a cataract diagnosis.

“In sub-Saharan Africa, the number of people living with cataracts is projected to grow from 15.2 million to 21.4 million by 2040, a trajectory that makes early intervention, not just treatment, the priority,” said Baker.

Optometrist Tiaan Massyn said: “A cataract does not announce itself. By the time a patient notices that colours look faded, that night driving has become difficult, or that they need significantly more light to read, the condition has often been developing for years. A routine eye examination changes that entirely.”

Signs worth getting checked:

• Clouded, blurred or dim vision — even when wearing spectacles
• Halos or starbursts around lights at night
• Colours appearing faded or with a yellowish tint
• Needing significantly more light to read or carry out close work

“A comprehensive eye examination is a vital, non-invasive ‘early warning system’ that goes far beyond checking a prescription. By utilising technologies like tonometry to detect glaucoma, digital retinal photography to monitor blood vessels for signs of hypertension or  diabetes, and a slit-lamp examination to identify early-stage cataracts, we can identify health trends before they impact a patient’s quality of life,” said Massyn.

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