The L V Prasad Eye Institute (LVPEI) Director, Dr G Chandrasekhar, today said low vision and blindness can have devastating impact on the affected as it leads to loss of independence and reduces quality of life. Participating in a ‘Glaucoma Awareness walk’ to commemorate ‘World Glaucoma Week’ from March 11 to 17 aimed at creating public awareness about eye disease that affects both adults and children, he said people must learn about prevention, early detection and treatment of Glaucoma. ‘Glaucoma is seen as the leading cause of irreversible blindness in India. Unfortunately, a majority of the cases go undiagnosed. It is a disorder associated with pressure in the eye and is characterised by damage to the optic nerve’, the Director said.
Currently, 11.2 million Indians suffer from Glaucoma. Of them 1.1 million were blind. Childhood Glaucoma is a serious paediatric condition that many parents are not familier with, Dr Chandrasekhar said and added three lakh children were afflicted with developmental Glaucoma worldwide.
Tollywood Director S S Rajamouli and Music Director M M Kiravani flagged off the walk. Over 200 people, including the faculty and staff of the institute, participated in the rally. UNI