Increasingly a number of people treated for glaucoma are being given medicines to help with the pressure build up in their eyes, which can arrest the progress of the disease. Since medication is a long-term option, expenditure for the patient can be very high at times. Fortunately, with the increase in number of generic medications, patients are now able to afford to deal with their glaucoma effectively. “Initially, the cost of glaucoma medication was very high, with many people having to shell out close to Rs. 1,000 a month for a particular eye drops that would decrease pressure in the eye. People who were unable to afford this had to undergo surgery,” Chief Medical Officer of the Aravind Eye Hospital R. Venkatesh said.
In the recent years, however, this scenario has changed, with many doctors recommending generic drugs that have been produced locally. They have been used to successfully arrest the progress of glaucoma in many patients, he said.
The World Glaucoma Week started on Sunday and the Aravind Eye Hospital organised a rally to create awareness of it. The rally was flagged off by Lieutenant Governor Virendra Kataria. Screening camps would be held at Auroville and various branches of the hospital.
