India: The Next Glaucoma Capital
A study presented at the World Ophthalmology Congress has revealed that glaucoma is annually making nearly 1.2 Lakhs Indians blind. The study conducted by the Asian survey has presented glaucoma as the silent thief of sight among the Indians. The study also presented that nearly 68% Indians run the risk of developing the disease.
The survey moreover presents that Indians are not aware of the risk of the major eye problem. Surprisingly nearly 74% Indians don’t know what glaucoma is and over 72% have never undergone an eye pressure test or tonometry that determines fluid pressure inside the eye. In other countries like Malaysia, 70% of the people are unaware of the disease. The rate is nearly the same in other countries like China (74%), Korea and Thailand, (70%), Philippines (63%) Hong Kong and (60%) in Taiwan (58%).
The study says that between 2010 and 2020, India will be the world’s glaucoma capital. Only 10% of people with glaucoma have been diagnosed compared to 50% in Europe. The number of blind people, which is at present 12 million in India, is predicted to increase to 24.1 million in 2020. By implementing strategies to prevent blindness due to glaucoma, the study says 3.6 million people could be saved from blindness in the year 2020 alone.
The findings have made the Union health ministry decide to step up its fight against glaucoma. From the 11th five-year Plan’s budget of Rs 1,250 crore, around Rs 60 crore is being set aside especially for diagnosis, control and awareness programs on glaucoma. Ophthalmologists in 120 government hospitals are being trained in glaucoma diagnosis and management. Advanced tonometry machines, each costing Rs 2 lakh, are being purchased for the government hospitals while 50 medical colleges will be given the advanced automatic perimeter to study the patient's visual field.
Source: Times Of India
Filed under Eye Diseases, Glaucoma
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