HYDERABAD: Lack of awareness among people is leading to rise in glaucoma cases at an alarming rate, eye specialists at LV Prasad Eye Institute (LVPEI) said.
“Glaucoma is an eye disorder associated with increase in the eye pressure and is characterised by damage to the optic nerve leading to irreversible blindness. Every eighth individual or nearly 40 million people aged 40 or above in India either have glaucoma or are at the risk of developing it,” Dr Sirisha Senthil, head of Glaucoma Service at LVPEI, said at a press conference here on Friday.
“Glaucoma more commonly affects people beyond the age of 40. High myopes, diabetics and those with a positive family history have higher risk of developing glaucoma. Most people with glaucoma have no early symptoms or pain from this increased pressure, hence it is important to see eye doctor regularly so that glaucoma can be diagnosed and treated before long-term visual loss occurs,” pointed out Dr Sirisha. According to statistics provided by LVPEI, about 11.2 million people suffer from the disease with 1.1 million blind, including children in India. Another shocking fact is that two-thirds of world’s blind and visually impaired are women.
Glaucoma Awareness Week Glaucoma Awareness Week would be conducted from March 6 to 12 at LVPEI.
Special screening will be done all through the week to diagnose glaucoma. Glaucoma Awareness Walk will be organised on Sunday. Glaucoma Education Forum will be conducted on March 12, to educate the general public on the harmful effects of prolonged steroid use.