BSS, Dhaka :
The World Glaucoma Day will be observed in Bangladesh today like other countries across the globe for raising mass awareness about the eye disease glaucoma. The slogan of this year’s World Glaucoma Day is – “Beat Invisible Glaucoma”.
Observance of the day was initiated by the World Glaucoma Association and the World Glaucoma Patients Association to create awareness among the people regarding the disease that causes damage to eye’s optic nerve.
Glaucoma is a group of eye diseases that causes progressive damage to the optic nerve at the point where it leaves the eye to carry visual information to the brain.
Glaucoma has emerged as the second commonest cause of blindness worldwide with about 8.5 million people rendered blind a year due to it, according to a study.
There are several variations of glaucoma, but primary open-angle is the most common. It occurs when fluid in the eye doesn’t properly drain out and it can cause irreversible loss of vision and severe damage to the nerve fibers of the optic nerve. “According to a survey conducted in 2004, in Dhaka, at least 2.8 percent people are affected by Glaucoma, while 90 per cent of people do not know about the disease”, Secretary General of Bangladesh Glaucoma Society (BGS) Dr Nazneen Khan told BSS . Highlighting the necessity of early detection, the eye expert, also an Associate Professor of Ophthalmology Department of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU) said, “Medications, treatments, technology and research can help the patients afflicted with glaucoma but early detection is the first and most important step to protect the eyes”. To mark the Day BGS has taken a day-long elaborated programme, which will start with a free Glaucoma screening camp at National Eye Science Institute at Sher-e-Bangla Nagar from 8.30 am to 11.30 am.
