Considering the number of people suffering from glaucoma, medical experts share that only awareness among the public can help in bring down the number of patients who suffer this disease. In a bid to spread the necessary awareness about glaucoma and also to commemorate World Glaucoma Week that is observed during the 2nd week of March, Indian Medical Association (IMA) and Coimbatore Society of Ophthalmic Surgeons (CSOS), joined hands and organised an awareness rally in Coimbatore this morning.
Students from RVS College of Nursing and Sri Ramakrishna Hospital participated in this rally by holding place cards with awareness messages about this disease. Around 100 students participated in this awareness rally that was flagged off by A Pari, Inspector General of Police, West Zone. Coimbatore. Income Tax office was the start point of this awareness rally and the students walked through the entire circle of Race Course circle and the rally was called off at the Income Tax office.
Dr D Chandrasekhar, President, CSOS, Dr S Karuna, IMA, President, Dr C P Sahanmugasundarm, IMA, Secretary and Dr N Sathian, IMA, Finance Secretary were present.
Across the world currently about 80 million people suffer from glaucoma, out of them 1/5th are Indians, this means if numbers are to be believed, about 12 million people suffer from glaucoma. “Right from a new born to an elderly person, this disease has not spared anyone. Sadly, 99% of patients do not show signs or symptoms of glaucoma and only 9% are undergoing treatment for glaucoma. The rest 91% are not.” Dr. Shreesh Kumar, Secretary of Coimbatore Society of Ophthalmic Surgeons (CSOS) said.
Only by spreading awareness about this disease can help in dealing with this disease, which if not diagnosed on time can certainly cause loss of vision in the patient, he adds “There are two types of glaucoma. Open angle glaucoma does not display any signs and symptoms while the close angle glaucoma causes severe eye pain in the patient. Both are equally bad if left untreated can result in loss of vision.”
Talking about those who are prone to glaucoma, Dr V Narendran, Chief of Aravind Eye Hospital, Coimbatore said “Those who have a family history of glaucoma are high risk patients and they must get their eyes tested for glaucoma annually. Today’s glaucoma awareness rally was organised to emphasise to the public about having a regular and comprehensive eye check up, which is the only way to sight signs of glaucoma early and control it in time.”
A normal healthy eye produces a fluid called aqueous humor, at the same rate at which it drains. When there is an imbalance, the pressure inside the eye raises, which in-turn causes pressure on optic nerve(vision nerve) leading to permanent damage and loss of vision.