- World Glaucoma Week is a global initiative of the World Glaucoma Association (WGA) in order to raise awareness on glaucoma. Through a series of engaging worldwide activities, patients, eye-care providers, health officials and the general public are invited to contribute to sight preservation. The goal is to alert everyone to have regular eye (and optic nerve) checks in order to detect glaucoma as early as possible.
- Individuals at risk of Glaucoma are those over 40, patients with diabetes, high myopia, injury, inflammations, a positive family history, steroid intake (topical/systemic) and congenital eye disorders. Some studies estimate that only 50% of patients with glaucoma have had an eye exam in the past. This makes routine screening for glaucoma in high risk groups a must and Glaucoma is aptly called a silent thief of sight” says Dr. R. Chitra, Medical Director & Consultant – Glaucoma, Cataract & Refractive Surgery Service & Dr. Muralidhar R, Dr. Vaishnavi M Consultant–Glaucoma & Pediatric ophthalmology Services.
- Dr. Chitra Ramamurthy, Medical Director of The Eye Foundation stated “We, at The Eye Foundation on this momentous week, 12th to 18th March 2023 have reached out to the glaucoma population at our hospital base and beyond to create an increased awareness program, more intensive than what is already ongoing and contribute to early detection and management of this blinding eye disease.
- To commemorate “World Glaucoma Week”, Free Evaluation for Glaucoma for all during the entire week at all the centres is being offered from Sunday 12th March to Saturday 18th March, 2023. Patients requiring further investigation, treatment and surgery are being offered the same at a subsidized rate during this period.
