Medical experts yesterday warned those who are short-sighted -- with a power of -6 or stronger -- to be careful when playing golf or going on roller-coasters, for fear of retinal detachment.
Retinal detachment is a serious and sight-threatening condition, occurring when the retina becomes separated from its underlying supportive tissue.
According to ORBIS, a charity dedicated to saving sight, it usually follows a tear in the retina which allows fluid from the eyes to flow in. Symptoms include flashing lights, cobwebs, or a black curtain in your line of vision, which, if not promptly treated, can result in blindness.
According to results of a recent survey commissioned by ORBIS, retinal detachment is among the most frequently occurring retinal disorders in Taiwan.
Survey results collected from patient databases of the National Health Insurance Bureau and major hospitals across Taiwan, showed that those who were severely short-sighted were 130 times more likely to suffer retinal detachment compared with the average person.
Retinal detachment is of particular concern in view of the number of short-sighted children in Taiwan. According to Deputy Minister of the Department of Health (DOH) Chen Shih-jhong (
Head of the Opthamology department at the Tri-Service General Hospital, Lu Da-wen (呂大文) said, "Those whose retinas are already in a deteriorated state should be careful of performing actions which have a strong centrifugal force as this may pull on the retina, causing it to break away."
He said that this included swinging a golf club, going on a roller-coaster and anything involving a swinging motion of the head.
"Those who already have floaters in their eyes are especially at risk," he said.
According to a report in the Liberty Times, Lu said that an elderly woman had experienced symptoms of retinal detachment after hitting herself across the head with a steel broom, which is part of a traditional Chinese treatment to improve blood circulation.
Lu said that the elderly, whose retinas are already in a more fragile state than the norm should be especially careful.
Lu also said that risks were not lower for those who had already had their short-sightedness corrected through laser surgery and that eye check-ups should be performed every six months for those who were severely short-sighted.
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