Aravind's awareness Campaign

The Aravind Eye Hospital is conducting an awareness campaign on glaucoma till March 9.The campaign is being organised in connection with World Glaucoma Day observed on March 6.Glaucoma is a progressive eye disease, which is the second largest cause of blindness in the world, P.Sathyan, Chief - Galucoma Services, Aravind Eye Hospital, told reporters here on Monday.

More than 2,000 people would be covered under the campaign every day

While most people were aware of blindness due to cataract, very few knew about glaucoma.This was mainly because glaucoma rarely manifested symptoms in the initial stages. A condition characterised by increased pressure in the eye, glaucoma could lead to permanent loss of vision.Increased pressure over long periods of time could irrevocably damage the nerves in the eye.Hence, there was an urgent need to create awareness about the disease and motivate people to screen for glaucoma, Dr. Sathyan said.

Aravind Eye Hosptial would be conducting an awareness programmes daily till March 9. More than 2,000 people would be covered under the campaign every day, he added.Any one could develop glaucoma. However, individuals over 40 years of age, those with a family history of glaucoma and short sight, persons with high spectacle power and with diabetes were in the risk group.Those who were on steroid medication and had suffered eye injuries too were at the risk of developing the disease.

Though most patients had no symptoms, those with a certain type of glaucoma might experience pain around the eyes, redness of the eyes, blurred vision and coloured haloes around bulbs.Glaucoma could not be cured. It could only be controlled.Once diagnosed with glaucoma, the patient should continue medication lifelong. Early detection was the best way to control the disease, he said.A free glaucoma screening for the family members of the patients of Aravind Eye Hospital would be conducted on March 9.

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