BENGALURU: With the world celebrating January as Glaucoma Awareness Month, Dr Agarwal’s Eye Hospitals is conducting various awareness programmes across India. The hospital says that according to current world trends, the number of people afflicted with the disease may double by 2040.
In an effort to help detect early risk factors, the hospital has decided to conduct the programmes on the risk factors of the disorder and promote screening. “In India, millions of people do not have access to qualified eye specialists and eye hospitals in India.
The lack of infrastructure and an unequal distribution of eye care facilities in the country are causes for concern. The country needs advanced centres in peripheral areas to enhance the reach of medical interventions and screening the high-risk population,” said Dr Neelima Aalap Shah, consultant ophthalmologist at the hospital’s Bengaluru branch.
“The risk factors for glaucoma may include the increasing prevalence of chronic conditions like diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, high blood pressure and myopia. Family history may also play a major role,” said Dr Shah.