World sight day 2020(WSD) on 8th October: This year theme ‘Hope in Sight ’

Glaucoma is the leading cause of irreversible blindness in India

Authored by: Dr K.UMA, Senior consultant, Glaucoma & Cataract services

Maxivision super speciality eye hospital, Madinaguda/Chandanagar, Hyderabad.

It is an annual day of awareness held on the second Thursday of October, to focus on global blindness and vision impairment. It falls on 8 th October 2020 .it is coordinated by International Agency for prevention of blindness (IAPB) under WHO VISION 2020, The Right to Sight, Global initiative.

This year the theme is ‘ Hope in Sight ’

More than 75% of visual impairment is avoidable. After Cataract, Refractions Errors, and Diabetic eye disease comes Glaucoma. The blindness due to these major problems can be prevented.

Glaucoma is the leading cause of irreversible blindness in India and at least 12 million people affected and nearly 1.2 million people blind from the disease. More than 90% of glaucoma cases remain undiagnosed.

Early diagnosis and treatment of Glaucoma is the main goal to prevent blindness.

This world sight day, the main focus is on the awareness of the importance of regular eye check-up in people above 40 years,

1.      Family history of Glaucoma

2.      History of seeing Haloes around lights

3.      History of long time use of steroids either locally or systemically.

4.      History of myopia or frequent change of glass power.

5.      Any history of injury or operation to the eyes

The public is requested to take note of these above points and have a complete eye examination by an ophthalmologist for early diagnosis of Glaucoma and prevent their eyes from going blind.

A slit-lamp examination, applanation tonometry, visual field testing, and dilated fundus examination are the key tests to be undergone periodically for the prevention of blindness.

Glaucoma can be prevented if diagnosed early and further progress can be stopped by local eye drops medications, LASER treatment to the eyes, or surgical interventions.

Therefore, the public are requested to take this initiative of ‘Hope in Sight’ on this world sight day by IAPB and get their eyes examined for glaucoma and other eye diseases for early detection and prevention of the problem. Maxivision eye hospitals have all the latest equipment and technology for an early detection of the diseases.

An appeal to the public in this COVID times - we at Maxivision super speciality eye hospital are taking all precautions for a safe eye examination or surgery to the patient and all our staff and Doctors are following the COVID protocols sincerely.