DOHA: Hamad General Hospital is offering free glaucoma screening and awareness education this week at a booth set up by Hamad Medical Corporation’s (HMC) Ophthalmology Department.
The screenings at Hamad General Hospital’s Outpatient Department come as part of the annual World Glaucoma Week awareness campaign. Today is the last day of the glaucoma screening and awareness campaign.
Glaucoma is an eye disorder that leads to progressive damage to the optic nerve — the part of the eye that carries visual information from the retina to the brain. The condition has no known cause but is often associated with a buildup of pressure inside the eye. Glaucoma affects the peripheral or sideways vision first, and can move progressively to central vision. If left untreated, it may lead to full blindness. People with glaucoma require careful lifelong treatment to maintain their vision.
“Thousands of patients have benefited from HMC’s glaucoma awareness campaign over the years. During last year’s campaign, we were able to provide free screening and education to over 900 visitors, and were able to diagnose 39 new cases of glaucoma. In 2013, we diagnosed 32 cases among 1,483 people who came to our booth. We have referred these patients to our ophthalmology team to receive specialised care,” said Dr Zakia Mohamed Al Ansari, Glaucoma Specialist at HMC’s Ophthalmology Department.
Glaucoma medication, or surgical treatment when necessary, can slow the progression of the disease by reducing the elevated eye pressure often present in glaucoma, in order to prevent damage to the optic nerve. However, in rare cases even patients with a normal range of eye pressure can develop the disease. “Timely diagnosis and appropriate treatment are key to preventing blindness or significant loss of vision due to glaucoma. We recommend that people at high risk of developing glaucoma be tested every year or two, after 35. These include people of African descent, diabetics, those with a family history of glaucoma, and those who have had an eye injury or trauma,” said Dr Al Ansari.
The Peninsula
