To commemorate Glaucoma Awareness Week, Hyderabad-based L V Prasad Eye Institute (LVPEI) has planned a series of activities from March 10 to 17, 2013, at the institute to bring public focus on the eye disease that affects both adults and children. This year LVPEI's focus is on early detection of glaucoma and prevention.

“In this regard we would like to stress the importance of screening the family members of patients with glaucoma, as this disease can affect siblings and children of patients with glaucoma in up to 10-20 per cent. Also educating the general public on the harmful effects of prolonged steroid use can prevent serious and blinding steroid induced glaucoma that mostly affects children,” said Dr Sirisha Senthil, head – VST Centre for Glaucoma Care, LVPEI.

Glaucoma is seen as the leading cause of irreversible blindness in India. It is a disorder associated with pressure in the eye, and is characterized by damage to the optic nerve leading to irreversible blindness. The disorder is not a single disease, but has multiple causes, with a final common insult, which is injury to the optic nerve.

Currently, 1.12 crore Indians suffer from glaucoma, with 11 lakh people bilaterally blind. Though the exact cause of glaucoma in the majority of cases is not precisely known, it can occur in a minority due to a variety of causes ranging from the use of steroid eye drops, secondary to eye injury, or even complications after an eye surgery. Glaucoma more commonly affects people beyond the age of 40 years. High myopes, diabetics and those with a positive family history have higher risk of developing glaucoma.

Because of lack of awareness, 90 per cent of patients are unaware about glaucoma and is left undetected. Reasons could be suffering from glaucoma causes late onset of symptoms, which could be as late as when they begin experiencing loss of vision; presenting themselves to eye care providers at a very late stage makes restoration of visual function quite impossible; early diagnosis can reduce progression of the disease and prevent blindness; and all it takes to prevent such a situation is regular eye check-up or screening.

The major events will be carried during Glaucoma Awareness Week: On March 10 - Glaucoma Awareness Walk, from Prasad Labs to Jubilee Hills Check Post and back will starts at 7 am; March 16 - Patient Education Forum, LVPEI’s KAR campus, Banjara Hills, Hyderabad, 4 - 6 pm; March 17 - “Glaucoma: Basic & Advanced Course” CME at LVPEI’s Kode Venkatadri Choudary campus in Vijayawada.

Dr. B L Harsha Rao, Sr. Consultant, Glaucoma Services; Dr. Anil Kumar Mondal, Sr. Consultant, Child Glaucoma Services; Dr. G Chandra Sekhar, Director, L V Prasad Eye Institute & VST Centre for Glaucoma Care & Dr. Sirisha Senthil, Sr. Consultant, Glaucoma Services will be informing patients about Steroid-Induced glaucoma & glaucoma being hereditary, on March 10 at L V Prasad Eye Institute. Being informed is the first step to tackle glaucoma, there is a great need to create public awareness on the importance of periodic screening.

The L V Prasad Eye Institute provides high quality comprehensive eye care to all people; provides sight enhancement and rehabilitation services at the Institute and through its rural eye health network; offers professional ophthalmic training at all levels; and conducts cutting-edge eye care research.