Glaucoma is seen as the leading cause of irreversible blindness in India, but unfortunately, a majority of the cases go undiagnosed. It is a disorder associated with pressure in the eye, and is characterized by damage to the optic nerve. The disorder is not a single disease, but rather a myriad of diseases with one final common insult, injury to the optic nerve.
Currently, 11.2 million Indians suffer from it, with 1.1 million blind. Childhood Glaucoma is a serious pediatric condition that many parents are not familiar with. According to the World Health Organization, 3 lakh children are afflicted with developmental glaucoma worldwide, and 2/3rds are already blind (WHO bulletin, 1994). To commemorate the ‘World Glaucoma Week’, which starts from March 11 and goes on till the 17, L V Prasad Eye Institute organised a ‘Glaucoma Awareness Walk’ on Monday from Prasad Labs to the Jubilee Hills check post. Tollywood director SS Rajamouli and music director MM Kiravani and G Chandra Sekhar, director, L V Prasad Eye Institute flagged off the walk .
The walk was aimed at creating awareness of the eye disease, that affects both adults and children. The walk started at about 7 am and over 200 enthusiasts participated in the walk. They carried placards with messages on prevention of Glaucoma, ‘Detect Glaucoma, Prevent Blindness’ and ‘Don’t Let Glaucoma Darken your Life’ - the theme for Glaucoma week this year.