Second week in March of every year has been earmarked by the World Health Organisation (WHO) to raise awareness about glaucoma.
During this period, eye care providers, health officials and the general public are usually invited to join forces in organizing awareness activities to heighten education, especially on the prevention of glaucoma blindness.
Glaucoma is said to be the leading cause of preventable blindness, and distinct challenges may be present in different regions of the world.
It is a condition in which elevated eye pressure may damage the optic nerve, which connects the eye to the brain.
Experts have said that patients with this vision-stealing eye condition often don’t realize they have it until irreversible vision loss has occurred and once that happens, vision loss is permanent.
Principal Nursing Officer at Greater Accra Regional Hospital, Eunice Yeboah, speaking in an interview with Onua TV on Monday March 11, expressed fret over what she has described as gross neglect by the masses to have regular eye and optic nerve checks to detect glaucoma early enough.
She indicated that people aged 40 years and above are at high risk, hence the need to go for consistent optic nerve checks as there are available treatments for all forms of glaucoma to prevent visual loss.
”People aged 40 years and above are those at high risk and so if you are at 40 plus, then you fall within the risk bracket and the possibility of developing glaucoma is very high”.
Glaucoma is hereditary and so if a family member contracts the disease there is the need for the relatives to do a routine eye and optic nerve checks, she reiterated.
Eunice Yeboah further elaborated that glaucoma is racial and it is commonly detected in the black race.
She thus entreated the general public to take up the challenge to go for a regular eye and optic nerve checks to help reduce vision loss.
Story by Maxwell Otoo Onua Fm/3news.com
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