VIJAYAWADA: LV Prasad Eye Institute (LVPEI) will observe World Glaucoma Week (WGW) by organising campaigns, talks, and interactive patient forums to raise public awareness about glaucoma for early detection and prevention.
Glaucoma is an eye problem associated with increased eye pressure and is characterised by damage to the optic nerve, leading to irreversible blindness. Glaucoma is the most common cause of irreversible vision loss.
(WGW) is a joint global initiative of the World Glaucoma Association (WGA) and the World Glaucoma Patients Association (WGPA). This year, it is being observed from March 10 to 16, focusing on Steroid-Induced Glaucoma.
“In a study published by LVPEI, out of 4,062 children with ocular allergy, 2.2 per cent had steroid-induced glaucoma, and more than 30 per cent of these children were blind by the time they reached us. Most of these children were using steroids without any prescriptions or much beyond the time for which the original prescription was issued,” Dr Mayank Rai of LVPEI’s Kode Venkatadri Chowdary, Vijayawada, said.