BY CHIOMA OBINNA

Many people are not willing to accept that they have a chronic disease, until they realise how glaucoma could impact their everyday life. They realise that treating glaucoma is usually necessary to preserve their independence,” these were the words of Ibe Amadi, a 58-year – old glaucoma patient.

Ibe never knew he had glaucoma until he noticed something was wrong with his vision while playing football with his12 – year- old grandson. He kept missing the ball with his left leg.

Later that night during his quiet time, he noticed he was not seeing very clearly with his left eye. Then he closed the right eye to test the left eye. It as then he noticed that a whole block of vision was missing.

Gripped with fear, the next morning, Ibe rushed to the eye clinic, where he was diagnosed with glaucoma. Unfortunately, it was too late because the disease had advanced. He lost his vision. Ibe, never knew he had a genealogical history of glaucoma until he was diagnosed. Perhaps if he had known he was at risk, he would have made it a priority to get regular, complete eye examinations and preserved his vision. Ibe is one of the 10 million people blinded by glaucoma.

Described as the “silent thief of sight,” Glaucoma is a group of eye diseases that affect the optic nerve leading to progressive, irreversible loss of vision. It is a condition that steals sight without warning.

Experts say glaucoma is a public health problem identified as leading cause of irreversible blindness in the country. Over 50 per cent of sufferers do not know they have it, yet without treatment, a patient would lose his or her sight.

Speaking at a press conference to mark World Glaucoma Day with the theme; “Don’t Lose Sight of Your Family” in the state, Lagos State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Jide Idris who disclosed that about 67 million people are affected by the disorder globally and 10 per cent already blind said no fewer than 322, 251 people have benefitted from it Blindness Prevention Programme. According to Idris who spoke through the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Health, Dr. Femi Olugbile said glaucoma which affects 1 in 200 people aged 40 and below and 1 in 10 people over the age of 80 cannot be cured but can be managed well.

Idris who spoke on this year’s World Glaucoma Day in Lagos explained that vision loss

from glaucoma cannot be prevented but blindness could be prevented by early diagnosis and careful management. “If glaucoma is not treated, it may damage the optic nerve thereby causing loss of vision or eventual blindness.”

He said in the quest to detect early and also treat preventable causes of blindness, the state government has established eye services at each level of healthcare, adding that people should ensure the visit the centres for their eye check as early detection and treatment of glaucoma is still the hall mark of preventing blindness from glaucoma.”

Idris explained that out of the 322,251 people that have benefitted from the programme, 122, 498 people received eye glasses while 25,781 people had free eye surgeries done to restore their vision.

He noted that primary eye services including vision screening, eye health education, free treatment for minor eye conditions and a referral system to secondary eye units are provided within the 157 functional primary health centers in the various local government areas of the state.

To prevent blindness from glaucoma, Dr. Modupe Idris, urged parents to check the eyes of their children during their admission into primary school, while regular eye check is for adults above 40 years of age. Idris further advised that people should avoid trauma or injury to the eyes, and to visit the eye specialist for complaints, avoid use of unprescribed drugs, control of HBP and fasting blood sugar amongst others.