Residents walk for glaucoma awareness
The Advanced Eye Centre, PGI, organised a Glaucoma Awareness Walk from Rock Garden to Sukhna Lake today.A series of events were organised under the leadership of Prof Surinder Singh Pandav, head of the department.
The awareness walk started from Rock Garden at 7.30 am with the slogan of ‘Uniting for glaucoma-free world’. Among others Padma Shri Prof Jagat Ram, former director PGIMER, were present on the occasion. A large number of health workers from the PGIMER and GMCH-32, besides people from Chandigarh Ophthalmological Society and Glaucoma Support Group, Chandigarh, and Lions Club participated in the programme.
Glaucoma is the leading cause of preventable irreversible blindness. One in every 200 people, aged 40, has glaucoma, and the number rises to one in 8 among those above 80 years of age.
Currently, glaucoma affects approximately 80 million people around the world, about half of whom are unaware that they have the disease and may not have access to much needed care.
India bears a huge chunk of patients as every eighth individual or nearly 40 million have either glaucoma or are at risk of developing the disease. 11.2 million Indians suffer from the disease with 1.1 million visually impaired, including children.
Following the conclusion of the walk at Sukhna Lake, Chandigarh Theatre Group under the guidance of Rajeev Mehta staged a skit on glaucoma awareness, conveyed the message of requirement of glaucoma screening and treatment. More than 180 people were present on the occasion.
