If you thought glaucoma is an eye disease that only affects old people, you are wrong. Children can also be affected by it, and you might not even be aware you have it until it is too late and you lose your sight.
Glaucoma is a category of eye disorders that cause optic nerve damage. The optic nerve transmits visual information from the eye to the brain and is essential for normal eyesight. High eye pressure is often associated with optic nerve damage. Yet, glaucoma may develop even with normal eye pressure.
A sound engineer and artist from Sterkspruit in the Free State, Charlie Dyasi, was born with glaucoma. He is now blind due to strain on his optic nerves.
Living without sight
Having problems with sight is not new to Dyasi, as he had to witness both his parents suffer with their eyesight.
He says he inherited this gene from his late father, Michael Dyasi. “My dad was born partially sighted, but unfortunately he passed away, totally blind due to a failed operation at the hospital.”
Dyasi tells Health For Mzansi that his mother, Ivey, was born fully sighted but became blind due to polio. “Her left side was almost impossible to use.”
He expresses gratitude for being assigned to schools for the visually impaired, which gave him the freedom to pursue his own interests. He spent elementary through high school at the Athlone School for the Blind, where he was taught everything from life science to maths to history.
Learning to be independent
“At our school, they teach you how to be independent, and how to rely on yourself, and make sure that you can face the world head-on.”
They prepare you in order to do basic things, such as cooking, cleaning, making yourself a cup of coffee, and other basic necessities, adds Dyasi.
“Independence is vital for people with disabilities because most of the times we get marginalised. And because we are the minority, a lot of people tend to put us to the side as if we don’t matter.”
Charlie Dyasi
He worries that in certain families, a blind person’s worth is determined by whether or not they are educated and have a reliable source of money, such as a disability check or a salary.
“I’m not going to sit here and say all families are like that, but most of them are.”
Understanding glaucoma
Dr Luyanda Luthuli, a KwaZulu-Natal-based optometrist from the Dr Pixley Ka Isaka Seme Memorial Hospital, says glaucoma may occur even with normal intra-ocular pressure (IOP).
She explains that there are several forms of glaucoma, including angle closure glaucoma, open-angle glaucoma and tension glaucoma.
According to Luthuli, glaucoma is more prevalent in adults than in children, and it may be inherited. “Glaucoma can affect children as well,” she says.
“Some of the glaucoma symptoms include sudden blurry vision, severe eye pain, red eye, nausea and vomiting, headache, and seeing holes around lights. These are usually associated with angle closure glaucoma.”
For other types of glaucoma, patients usually do not notice anything wrong with their vision until it’s too late.
“It’s because glaucoma usually has no symptoms in its early stages. As it progresses, patients experience a reduction in their peripheral field of view; meaning when looking straight ahead, they can’t see well on the floor, sides and above them.”
KZN optometrist Dr Luyanda Luthuli
She says that this eventually leads to what is known in medicine as tunnel vision and subsequently blindness. Which is why it is known as the silent thief of sight.
What are the chances of successful treatment?
Luthuli says glaucoma has no treatment and no cure. She states that the main goal of treatment is to reduce the disease’s development.
“It is treated with eye drops on early detection and it has a better outcome.”
Luthuli suggests an eye examination every one to two years in order to identify glaucoma early and halt its development.
According to her, it is difficult for those with glaucoma to be independent. Yet, having family and friends who are supportive might make things easier.
After reaching adulthood, Dyasi lived on his own. Billy, his guide dog, is assisting him and he says that Billy makes his life easier.
“He helps me reach places and I can navigate my way without being afraid of knocking into any obstacles,” Dyasi explains.
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