GLAUCOMA WEEK: OPTOMETRIST CANVASSES GOVT SUPPORTED FREE EYE SCREENING & DRUG SUBSIDY
REPORTER: CHIZOBA OPARA
An Optometrist, DDr. Amarachi Opara, has called for glaucoma drug subsidization and free screening.
She also canvassed continuous professional development of medical practitioners to get them upto date with the current standard of glaucoma treatment world wide.
Dr. Opara, who is also the Chairperson, Women Optometrists in Nigeria, Imo State Chapter, made the appeal while speaking on this year’s World Glaucoma week in Owerri.
She described glaucoma as a group of disease that damages the eye optic, leading to vision loss in patient without early symptoms.
According to the eye expert, cognital glaucoma in children presents symptoms such as tearing eye, sensitivity to light, big eye balls while adults experience open angle glaucoma with unexplained pain around the eye, blurry vision, reddish eye etc at the advance stage.
She decried the situation where people engage in self medication, especially due to lack of fund for drugs and still end up with blindness.
Dr. Opara therefore emphasised the need for government intervention, especially in the rural communities.
Dr Opara, maintain that glaucoma has no known cause rather “some risk factors, which includes family history, being African, long history of diabetes or hypertension, untreated eye trauma, or some children born with cognital glaucoma.”
Speaking on this year’s theme “Uniting for a Glaucoma Free World,” the eye expert encouraged organisations, various governments and stakeholders to support clinics to make the screening free and drugs affordable since the treatment is for a lifetime to avert blindness.
Dr. Opara, who advised people to maintain a healthy vision through regular eye check at least every six months, also encouraged glaucoma patients to ensure they take their drugs as prescribed by the doctor for effective management of the ailment.
The World Glaucoma week is observed annually in March since its inception in 2020 by world Glaucoma Association.
It is aimed at creating awareness on the glaucoma scourge and also educate people on the need for routine eye check for early detection and management.
EDITED BY CHUKWUBUIKE MADU
