To raise awareness about a medical condition that affects eyes, an awareness walk was organised on Sunday in which the Governor E.S.L. Narasimhan took the lead. The L.V. Prasad Eye Institute (LVPEI) organised the ‘Glaucoma Awareness Walk’ from the institute’s venue at Banjara Hills to Jubilee Hills check-post and back. The walk was organised as part of the ‘World Glaucoma Week’. A number of patients, volunteers and members of medical fraternity participated in the walk. Speaking on the occasion, the Governor said, “Glaucoma is an ailment which beats all age groups, sometimes it can impact a child or an elderly person, sometimes its hereditary. Indiscriminate use of steroids can also lead to glaucoma.”
The Governor said that the gynaecologists should check for glaucoma in newborns so that it could be treated early. He felt that since many are not aware of the condition till it hits them hard, it is important to have awareness campaigns.
G. Chandra Sekhar, vice-chair, LVPEI said that the second largest cause of blindness was glaucoma and it was important to take this message to the public.
Sirisha Senthil, head of Glaucoma Service at LVPEI, said most people with glaucoma have no early symptoms or pain and it was import for people to have regular eye check-up.
