Dr Sewuese Bitto, Consultant Ophthalmologist, Garki Hospital, Abuja, on Wednesday, said the hospital would free eye treatment for residents of the FCT to commemorate 2016 World Glaucoma Week.
Bitto told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that the free eye treatment would hold from March 7 to 11.
She said that the hospital would also hold health talks during the period to educate the public and increase awareness about the effects of glaucoma, risk factors and how to prevent the disease.
NAN reports that World Glaucoma Week (WGW) held every year is a joint global initiative of the World Glaucoma Association (WGA) and the World Glaucoma Patients Association (WGPA).
It is meant to raise awareness about glaucoma, what it does to the sight, and how it might affect an individual.
Bitto noted that presently in Nigeria many persons were going blind from glaucoma and many more were living with the disease with little or no access to proper health care.
She said that many persons were still unaware that the glaucoma disease had no cure and its damage to the eye was irreversible, hence the need to continually increase awareness about the disease.
“According to the Nigerian National Blindness and Visual Impairment Survey conducted in 2005 to 2007 the proportion of individuals with glaucoma in Nigeria is 50 per cent.
“If another survey is conducted the figure may be more. No survey has been carried out since then to determine if various intervention methods have helped to reduce or control the disease.
“We do not even have enough optometrists and ophthalmologists in the country that can adequately cater for glaucoma patients in the cities not to talk of rural communities.
“We need to reach out to these people, increase awareness about the disease and encourage them to take themselves for regular check in the hospital,” she said.
Bitto described glaucoma as a chronic progressive disease of the optic nerve, stating that the optic nerve is responsible for vision as it connected the eye to the brain ensuring one could see.
According to her, research has shown that glaucoma is a genetic disease that means it can be passed down from one individual to his or her offspring through the genes (inheritance).
She said that an individual could be born with the glaucoma gene or develop glaucoma and not be aware, adding that only regular medical checks could detect the presence of the disease.
Bitto said studies had also revealed that black people had three to four times more risk of developing glaucoma than people who were White or Caucasian.
She noted that people with high intraocular pressure, those over 40 years and individuals with thin cornea were also at high risk of developing glaucoma.
“If you are below 40 years you can go for eye check once every five years but if you are 40 years and above it is advised you go for medical check twice every year.
“Individuals with hypertension who take their medications at night are also at risk of developing glaucoma because these medications reduce blood flow to the optic nerve head when taken at night.
“Usually when we lie down, blood flow to the optic nerve is reduced slightly hence, people who have hypertension and take their medications at night further reduce blood flow to the optic nerve.
“This increases their risk of developing glaucoma or causing a regression to the treatment. We advise hypertensive patients with glaucoma to take their medications in the morning,” Bitto said.
She said that majority of the types of glaucoma were pressure dependent, noting that pressure within the eye which was referred to as intraocular pressure remained higher than normal for a long period.
She said that the pressure compresses on the optic nerve head mechanically distorting the normal flow of nutrients and blood to the optic nerve head thereby putting the optic nerve aczone at risk.
Bitto said that if the aczones were deprived of nutrition, oxygen and blood they died and could not regenerate, adding that there was no treatment for nerve disease.
“That is why glaucoma is said to cause what is called irreversible blindness which is where the problem is because if it is not picked on time the corresponding effect on vision and quality of life is way beyond proportion.
“That is why a week in March is set aside every year worldwide to raise awareness about this disease.
“Glaucoma can be managed with eye drops, medication and surgery or via laser. Management of glaucoma is targeted at controlling intraocular pressure by giving `agents’ to reduce it,” she explained.
Bitto advised Nigerians to make efforts towards living healthy lives by staying away from smoking, alcohol and substance abuse in order to prevent the risk of developing the disease.
She also called for consumption of healthy and natural foods to help prevent the disease or manage it.
This year’s World Glaucoma Week will be marked from March 6 to 12.
