A free screening camp is being organised on the occasion of World Glaucoma Week (March 12 to 18) in the associated hospital of Government Doon Medical College (GDMC). The week long camp is being organised by the eye department of the GDMC in collaboration with the Glaucoma society of India.
Under the camp a free exclusive Galucoma Filtration Surgery (GFS) will be done on March 18. A Glaucoma awareness walk from the hospital to Gandhi Park would also be organised on the day. Awareness campaign on Glaucoma would also be held during the week.
The Head of Department (HOD) of the ophthalmology department of the college, Dr Sushil Ojha said that the glaucoma is a progressive optic nuropathy may or may not be associated with raised IOP (Intraocular Pressure). In it the optic nerve fibers gets progressively decreased by the disease progression. He said that the progressive damage decreases field of vision and it can lead to blindness. Dr Ojha informed that Galucoma is now considered second leading cause of blindness after cataract.
He said that the persons on higher side of 55 years, with family history of glaucoma or with diabetes are the high risk groups for the disease.
The doctors opine that vision loss and blindness can be prevented if the disease is diagnosed and treated early.