An Ophthalmologist, Prof. Tolutope Edema, on Thursday advised Nigerians on pragmatic ways to fight the increasing rate of glaucoma in the country.
Edema is a professor in the Department of Ophthalmology at the University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH).
She gave the advice at the University of Benin during the celebration of the World Glaucoma Week with the theme: “Beat Invisible Glaucoma.”
According to her, Ophthalmology is a surgical subspecialty within medicine that deals with conditions of the eyes.
Edema defined blindness as” a complete loss of sight”.
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She said that World Glaucoma Week, which holds from 10-16 of March every year, is to raise awareness on how to prevent invisible glaucoma across the world.
“Glaucoma tends to be inherited and may not show up until later in the patient’s life.
“The increased pressure, called intra-ocular pressure, can damage the optic nerve.
“This increased pressure transmits images to your brain.
“If the damage continues, a patient loses his or her eyes permanently,” Edema said.
The ophthalmologist said that some causes of glaucoma included heredity, chemical injury to the eye, blocked blood vessels inside the eyes and severe eye infection.
She added that other causes of glaucoma were aging, trauma from accident, drug abuse, congenital condition in the new-born and other forms of injury.
According to Edema the symptoms are blurred vision, colours may not appear to patient as bright as they are, and light from the sun and lamp seem too bright or glaring.
She advised anyone experiencing these symptoms to see an optometrist without any further delay.
NAN reports that the World Glaucoma Week is an international day marked to raise awareness of glaucoma and to encourage its prevention, detection and treatment.” (NAN)
