The ophthalmology clinic at the District General Hospital in the city receives two or three glaucoma patients every single day. S. Vijayalakshmi, head of the ophthalmology unit at the hospital, said that on the positive side, there was increased awareness about glaucoma and more people were coming in for checking intra-ocular pressure, which was a major cause of blindness but could be prevented if detected early.
Glaucoma had been detected in patients who had come to the hospital with other eye problems, she said. While the disease could be controlled with medication, many a time, there was little compliance of the regimen by patients.
Over the past decade, the World Glaucoma Association has been conducting a worldwide drive to increase awareness about glaucoma and the need for early detection. As there are few symptoms, patients do not realise its onset till the disease is far advanced and only a central island of vision in the eye is left.
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The theme of the drive by the World Glaucoma Association this year is: “Prevent steroid-induced glaucoma”.
The use of steroids is rampant and many a time, it they are used as eye drops or tablets. Many patients are steroid-responders who end up with high intra-ocular pressure and glaucoma without any symptomatology till very late in the progress of the disease.
On Sunday, the glaucoma awareness week was launched with many organisations joining hands to spread the message till March 17. As part of the programme, the Cochin Ophthalmic Club; Kerala Society of Ophthalmic Surgeons under the aegis of the Glaucoma Society of India, IMA, Kochi; Inner Wheel Club of Cochin; Rotary Club of Cochin; and Women Explorers joined the Amrita Institute of Medical Sciences in a walkathon held at Fort Kochi during the day.
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