These thoughts and actions taken by Dr Muhammad Azeem, written with the help of ChatGPT.
When Knowledge Freezes Action
Breath Becomes Air
We live in a time where information is everywhere. With a few clicks, a patient can read guidelines, watch expert videos, join forums, and even predict possible outcomes of their illness. On the surface, this should lead to better decisions and earlier treatment. In reality, it often does the opposite.
Access to information is not the same as using information.
In clinical practice, it has become common to see patients who know a great deal about their condition, yet hesitate when it comes to taking action. This hesitation is not due to ignorance. It is due to overload, confusion, and misplaced reassurance.
Consider a recent case.
An obese female patient with known hypertension presented with sudden vision loss and was diagnosed with central retinal vein occlusion (CRVO). Her blood pressure at presentation was 190/110. This is a medical emergency. I explained clearly that urgent control of her blood pressure was essential, not just for her general health, but to save her eye in the long run.
She listened calmly and replied politely, “It’s only a sudden rise in BP. I usually control my blood pressure.”
That statement reflects a growing problem. The patient had information, but not urgency. She knew her diagnosis, knew her numbers, and knew her medications. Yet the ability to refine that information into the right decision at the right time was missing.
This gap between knowing and acting
is something we are seeing more often. Patients read that blood pressure fluctuates, that stress can cause temporary spikes, that some eye conditions improve with time. Bits of information, taken out of context, become reasons to delay treatment.
A similar pattern appears in more routine complaints. Many patients come with eye strain, neck pain, and headaches related to prolonged screen use. They already know the advice. Reduce screen time. Take breaks. Exercise. Sleep better. Yet they continue the same habits for months or years, hoping symptoms will settle on their own. By the time they seek help again, the discomfort has become chronic and harder to treat.
The issue is not lack of awareness. It is lack of action.
Information access without proper refinement can create false confidence. Patients start negotiating with their condition instead of responding to it. They wait for things to get worse before taking steps that could have helped earlier.
As clinicians
, our role is no longer just to inform. It is to help patients filter information, prioritize risks, and understand timing. Early action, when time is on your side, often means simpler treatment, lower cost, and better outcomes. Late action prolongs misery and increases both emotional and financial burden.
Knowledge should lead to movement, not paralysis.
The way forward is clear. Information must be paired with responsibility. When the body gives a warning, it is not asking for more reading. It is asking for action.
#free#glasses #myopic #maculopathy
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