On Sunday, Retina International joins with other organisations around the world to raise awareness and seek a cure for reginitis pigmentosa and allied diseases as part of the World Retina Day.

Reginitis pigmentosa causes a degeneration of the retina, leading to vision loss. They affect more than 40 million people worldwide,

Retina is a thin light sensitive tissue that lines the inside of the back of the eye. It has been compared to the film of a camera that continually renews itself chemically and electrically, allowing us to see millions of different images without being super-imposed.

Symptoms to watch out for that someone is suffering from retina-related problems include seeing floating specks or cobwebs, blurred vision and other defects in the field of vision.

Although many physicians advise people to eat vegetables and greens for better eye health, there are certain eye disorders which are not caused by a lack of vitamins in the body.

"I had painful laser surgery from India in order to protect my retina from further damage in my left eye, it was expensive for me but i thank God that it was successful,” said Hamza mbonimba, a former eye patient.

Prevention

Eat a balanced diet. Protecting your eyes begins with the meals you take, you needs to eat foods rich in vitamin A and C such as green leafy vegetables; oily fish like salmon or tuna and meat protein, eggs, nuts and fruits like orange and citrus.

Quit smoking. Smoking is linked to eye-disorders like optic nerve damage, cataracts and macular degeneration, all of which lead to blindness.

Know your family health history. Talk to members of your family about their eye health history. This will help to determine if you are at higher risk for developing an eye disease or condition.