Wednesday, March 9, 2011

Raising awareness on the disease is very important as Glaucoma is the 2ND most common cause of blindness worldwide. It is TO BE 11 MILLION BY 2020.!!



Glaucoma ‘Silent blinding disease’
Are you a target?:

Manjari Peiris

World Glaucoma Week is celebrated from March 6 to 12, 2011 to raise awareness on the disease among the public

Raising awareness on the disease is very important as Glaucoma is the second most common cause of blindness worldwide. It is estimated that 4.5 million people globally are blind due to this disease and that this number will rise to 11.2 million by 2020 with the increasing number of elderly people in the world by that year.

Glaucoma

* Causes progressive damage to optic nerve

* Around 12 percent of Lankans become blind

* Second most common cause of blindness worldwide

* Caused blindness to 4.5 m people around the world

* Around 50 percent of affected people not aware about disease

Owing to the silent progression of the disease, at least in its early stages, up to 50 percent of affected persons in the developed countries are not even aware of them having glaucoma. This number may rise to 90 percent in underdeveloped parts of the world.

Glaucoma is a group of eye diseases that cause progressive damage of the optic nerve at the point where it leaves the eye to carry visual information to the brain.

Risk factors
If untreated, most types of glaucoma progress towards gradual worsening visual damage without neither warning nor obvious symptoms to the patient and may lead to blindness. Glaucoma is described as the ‘silent blinding disease’ as the damage is mostly irreversible.

There are several types of glaucoma - some may occur due to complications of other visual disorders in the form ‘secondary glaucoma’. However the majority is ‘primary’ occurring without a known cause.

Though there was belief in the past that glaucoma is caused due to high pressure within the eye, it is now accepted that even without pressure, one may suffer from glaucoma. The risk factors for causing glaucoma are the age (if over 40 years), racial ancestry, family history, high myopia (use of thick glasses) use of steroids for long time, short sightedness, high blood pressure or diabetes, eye injuries and smoking. Some form of glaucoma may occur at birth during infancy and childhood.

Vision loss
There is no cure for glaucoma as yet and vision loss is irreversible. However medication or surgery (traditional or laser) can halt or slow down any further vision loss.

Early detection is essential to limiting visual impairment and preventing the progression towards severe visual handicap or blindness. Eye care professionals can detect glaucoma in its early stage and advice on the best course of action. It is vital that when a person goes for routine eye examinations for spectacles, to remind the doctor to check eye pressure as well.

Addressing a media awareness program on Glaucoma, Health Ministry Additional Secretary Dr Palitha Maheepala said that in Sri Lanka 12 percent of people become blind due to Glaucoma, hence those who are over 40 years should get their eyes tested at least once a year, “especially those who use thick lenses and diabetic patients should get their eyes tested yearly,” he said.

Consultant Eye Surgeon, Eye Hospital Dr Muditha Kulatunga said that one should be treated at the pre-preliminary stage for glaucoma. According to her about 100 patients take treatment for glaucoma a day at the Eye Hospital.

DAILYNEWS.LK

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