Glaucoma Awareness Month: Mumbai Doctors Come Together To Promote Screening Tests

Glaucoma is an eye condition that damages the optic nerve and results in blindness. Patches of vision, often peripheral vision, start to fade in glaucoma patients. As we enter this new year, January marks National Glaucoma Awareness Month. Early glaucoma detection is important because it allows for successful treatment and reversal.

Due to a lack of knowledge about the illness, glaucoma, one of the main causes of vision loss and blindness, is seldom mentioned. To increase awareness of glaucoma, doctors from Mumbai come together to promote glaucoma screening tests.

Dr Nusrat Bukhari, Ophthalmologist, Apollo Spectra Mumbai Said, ‘‘It’s important to increase public awareness of the glaucoma condition, which is a cause of irreversible blindness in children and adults that can cause the loss of up to 40% of vision without the sufferer even being aware of it. Only early detection through regular eye examinations or glaucoma tests can aid in preventing this fatal condition.

Dr. Preeti Choudhary, Ophthalmologist, SRV Mamta Hospital, Dombivali said, ‘‘Glaucoma can also occur following an eye injury, any inflammation within the eye or bleeding due to any cause. Those in their advanced years are at a higher risk for glaucoma. Diabetes also increases the risk of glaucoma and can also cause secondary glaucoma due to bleeding within the eye or the growth of new vessels. Usually, glaucoma is asymptomatic but can present as redness, watering, blurred vision, seeing coloured halos around lights, and eye pain. This can only be picked up by regular screening and a complete evaluation of the disease. Glaucoma cannot be cured, it affects the fibres of the optic nerve and destroys them resulting in permanent blindness. Since nerve fibres do not regenerate, the damage already done cannot be reversed. However, timely intervention and treatment can definitely slow down the progression of nerve decay and the consequent development of blindness.’’