Page 7 - TODAY magazine Issue 1 2021

UPFRONT // ONE-MINUTE READS
GET PAY-AS-YOU-GO INSURANCE FOR YOUR NEXT TRIP
Next time you take a bus to Johannesburg or a taxi to visit your parents in the Eastern Cape, or even get a lift with a friend to visit your grandparents in Limpopo, you can take out insurance for the trip.
Voooma is South Africa’s first pay-as-you-go insurance for long-distance trips, whether by bus, train, taxi or hired minibus. You will be covered from the time you depart until the time you arrive, as long as the trip doesn’t take more than three days. If you have to change, say, from a train to a bus, you will be covered while waiting at the station too. Plus you can add 12 friends and family members to your insurance.
The cheapest option costs R24 per trip and the most expensive is R37 per trip. Find out more at voooma.co.za
HOPE WITH EVERY STEP
The Hope with Every Step initiative, supported by Move the Nation
and powered by Old Mutual, has
to date raised close to R2 million for children facing hunger in South Africa’s poorest communities.
Over 17 gruelling days, running enthusiasts Kabelo Mabalane and Peteni Kuzwayo ran the 600km from Mutual Place in Johannesburg, our head office, to Durban. Old Mutual pledged the
first R1.1 million to help hunger relief organisation Joint Aid Management (JAM) to feed 10 000 children for a year.
10 HEALTH PROBLEMS THAT CAN BE DETECTED
WITH AN EYE CHECK
They say our eyes are the windows to our souls, but they can offer a glimpse of
more than that. Often the first signs of certain health problems show up in the eyes and could therefore be detected during a visit to an ophthalmologist – a specialist eye doctor – before they show up anywhere else in the body.
Aneurysm
An aneurysm is a bubble in the wall of a blood vessel that could make it burst or ‘leak’. In some cases, it will show up on the surface of the eye or on the retina.
Alzheimer’s
The optic nerve connects the brain and the back of the eye. Since Alzheimer’s
disease damages nerve cells, it could cause vision problems, particularly with spatial relationships and depth perception. Some people also have trouble reading, following moving objects or detecting contrast.
Brain tumour
Swelling caused by increased pressure in the brain due to a tumour will cause changes to the optic nerve. Other signs could be loss of peripheral vision, double vision or an enlarged or shrunken pupil.
Certain cancers
Leukaemia and lymphoma can cause changes to the inside of the eye.
Diabetes
High blood-sugar levels could damage the blood vessels at the back of the eye. That is why diabetics who don’t manage their blood-glucose levels may lose their sight.
High blood pressure
Abnormal bends, kinks or bleeding from blood vessels at the back of the eye could indicate high blood pressure.
High cholesterol
If you’re under 40, a yellow or blue ring around the cornea (the clear outer layer of the eye) could be a sign that your cholesterol levels are too high.
Multiple sclerosis
This degenerative disease can show up as inflammation of the optic nerve and often goes hand in hand with blurry or double vision, or pain when moving the eyes.
Rheumatoid arthritis
Red and very painful eyes could be a sign of rheumatoid arthritis.
Thyroid disease
In addition to well-known signs such as protruding eyes, other indications of hyperthyroidism include dry eyes, blurry vision and vision loss.
This information serves as a guideline only. Consult your doctor if you have concerns about your health.
Source: American Academy of Opthalmology