Emmanuel Ugwu
4 March 2008
Umuahia — It has been revealed that as manyas eight million Nigerians are living with glaucoma out of the 65 million people affected by the ailment globally. This revelation is coming just as the first worldwide awareness on the dangers posed by glaucoma to eyesight would be heldon Thursday .
Chief Consultant , Eye Surgeon, Federal Medical Centre,Umuahia, Dr Chuku Abali, made this known yesterday ata press conference, saying that every person on therisk bracket must be on guard to avoid being blindedby glaucoma.
"Glaucoma is the second leading cause of blindness inNigeria and worldwide, which underscores theimportance of a global initiative such as WorldGlaucoma Day," he said. Abali , who heads the Department ofOphthalmology, FMC Umuahia, explained that glaucomaoperates in such a way that it steals one's eyesightwithout warning , hence the need to detect and manage itearly enough before the damage is done.
He said: "While glaucoma cannot be prevented or cured,early detection and treatment can help to preservesight. Individuals at risk for glaucoma and those overthe age of 40 should have regular, comprehensive eyeexamination that include careful evaluation of the optic andmeasurement of the eye pressure."
Dr Abali said that the Department of Ophthalmology,FMC, Umuahia in collaboration with Eye Care Workers ofAbia State and the Centre for Public Health, anon-governmental organisation have mapped outstrategies to raise glaucoma awareness in the state. According to him, the World Glaucoma Day would bemarked in Abia with a 500-man march for glaucomatagged 'March in March for Glaucoma' as well as freeglaucoma screening and check-up at both the UmuahiaMain Market and the FMC.In her remarks a consultant ophthalmologist at FMCUmuahia, Dr Chinemelum Ozoemena, said that theprevalence of glaucoma in Nigeria is so high that "wehave to work as a team to prevent it."
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