By Cheryl Lim, Channel NewsAsia |
Posted: 16 February 2010 1933 hrs
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SINGAPORE: Asia is home to nearly half of all the world's 40
million blind people. But despite that, knowledge about major eye
diseases is limited.
Now some researchers from the Singapore Eye Research Institute are shedding more light with a series of multi-ethnic studies.
Early detection of eye diseases will soon be made easier with a new study that aims to provide multi-ethnic information for eye research in Asia.
The project is a world first and consists of three studies involving more than 10,000 Chinese, Malay and Indian participants living in Singapore.
Each of the studies spans a two-year period.
It also aims to gather critical information on the causes and impacts of vision-threatening diseases effecting Asians.
Participants were randomly pre-selected from a list of Singaporeans who fit the study criteria.
The Singapore Eye Research Institute said both the Malay and Indian studies threw up some eye-opening findings.
A large number in the Malay group were unaware of their condition.
For example, 90 per cent of glaucoma cases were not previously diagnosed while 30 per cent of diabetic patients with retina damage had never seen an eye doctor.
Professor Tien Yin, director, Singapore Eye Research Institute, said: "40 per cent of the Indian people in Singapore have low vision in at least one eye and the majority of this is caused by cataract as well as under correction of their spectacle refraction. It could be easily preventable or treated."
The Singapore Chinese Eye Study is currently in its final phase. This particular study is unique from the other two because data collected from it will be compared to information from two other Chinese cohorts in Los Angeles and Guangzhou.
This will allow researchers to examine how various lifestyle factors influence eye diseases in Chinese people across the various communities.
Now some researchers from the Singapore Eye Research Institute are shedding more light with a series of multi-ethnic studies.
Early detection of eye diseases will soon be made easier with a new study that aims to provide multi-ethnic information for eye research in Asia.
The project is a world first and consists of three studies involving more than 10,000 Chinese, Malay and Indian participants living in Singapore.
Each of the studies spans a two-year period.
It also aims to gather critical information on the causes and impacts of vision-threatening diseases effecting Asians.
Participants were randomly pre-selected from a list of Singaporeans who fit the study criteria.
The Singapore Eye Research Institute said both the Malay and Indian studies threw up some eye-opening findings.
A large number in the Malay group were unaware of their condition.
For example, 90 per cent of glaucoma cases were not previously diagnosed while 30 per cent of diabetic patients with retina damage had never seen an eye doctor.
Professor Tien Yin, director, Singapore Eye Research Institute, said: "40 per cent of the Indian people in Singapore have low vision in at least one eye and the majority of this is caused by cataract as well as under correction of their spectacle refraction. It could be easily preventable or treated."
The Singapore Chinese Eye Study is currently in its final phase. This particular study is unique from the other two because data collected from it will be compared to information from two other Chinese cohorts in Los Angeles and Guangzhou.
This will allow researchers to examine how various lifestyle factors influence eye diseases in Chinese people across the various communities.
- CNA/vm
- wong chee tat
