Glaucoma Cause Blindness to One out of Five People In Nigeria.
By Ishaq Hardawa
People of fourty years of age above have been advised to regularly go for eye screening to avoid risk of contacting Glaucoma disease.
A consultant Opthalmologist with Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University Teaching Hospital Bauchi Dr Hajara Isa, stated this while presenting a paper at an event to mark this year’s world Glaucoma week at ATBUTH Bauchi.
Dr Hajara Isa who described Glaucoma as the leading cause of irreversible blindness, said it account for over 67 million persons living with the diseases worldwide.
She pointed out that in Nigeria according to National Blindness Survey one out of five persons, fourty years and above is blind due to glaucoma.
The Opthalmologist mention some of the risk factors to include Race, age, family history, myopia, decrease Corneal thicthness among others.
“Is a week that has been set aside by the Glaucoma association to bring about increase awareness against Glaucoma and leading course of irreversible blindness worldwide.
Glaucoma is the blinding condition that has to do with elavated intraocular pressure in the eye where the drain channels of the eye are unable to carry out there normal functions thereby increasing pressure in the eye coursing more stress and strength and remodeling in the Optic nerve which is structure that carries the message from retina which is the sensitive area of the eye to the brain and help us interpret what we see with our eye.
This Strength caurses the Optic nerve to loose some of it structural entity and this translate functionally as Vision Lost.
Now Glaucoma been irreversible it means whatever sight lost establish can not be reversed, that is why this Glaucoma week is observe to create more awareness about Glaucoma “
The Consultant Opthalmologist explain that Glaucoma don’t present symptoms until when the optic nerve is badly damage and appealled to people of fourty years and above to always go for eye screening at least twice a year to know their status.
In a remark the ATBUTH Medical Director Dr Yusuf Jibrin Bara enjoined health personnels to use the opportunity to check their eyes against glaucoma.
Dr Yusuf Jibrin Bara represented by the Head of administration of the Hospital Alhaji Usman Suri Commended the Eye Clinic Staffs for enlightening the public against Glaucoma.
The theme for this year world Glaucoma Week is uniting for glaucoma, free world.
