Regular eye check up to detect glaucoma stress

PUDUCHERRY: It is important to have regular eye check-ups to detect glaucoma which can affect any age group and is irreversible, according to Dr Ashok Kumar Das, JIPMER Director-in- Charge and Medical Superintendent here today. Talking to reporters at the inaugural of the special screening for Glaucoma, organised by the Department of Ophthalmology, JIPMER, he said Glaucoma was an eye disease the caused progressive damage to the optic nerve at the point where it leaves the eye to carry visual information to the brain. If left untreated, the disease would lead to worsening visual damage and lead to blindness; he said and added the damage to vision is mostly irreversible. He said there may not be any symptoms of the disease until very late when much irreversible damage has been done to vision fi eld. He said an eye specialist can detect early signs of glaucoma by testing eye pressure and visual fi eld and examining the retina and optic nerve. It was crucial to educate the people about the need for early detection because the disease struck slowly and silently. Dr Das said people with diabetes, thyroid disease; hypertension and short sight are more prone to the disease. He said JIPMER had all the instruments to detect the disease and experts for treating it. He added the treatment at JIPMER is free of cost. Dr Subashini Kaliaperumal, Assistant Professor and a Glaucoma specialist, JIPMER, said nearly 60 million people were estimated to be suffering from the disease which is the second most common cause of blindness worldwide. By 2020, the predicted increase is around 80 million. She said Glaucoma is the third leading cause of blindness in India and 12 million people are affected by it. The special screening for glaucoma is being organised as part of the World Glaucoma Awareness Week at JIPMER.