World Glaucoma Day observed on 12th March 2022 highlights the importance of regular eye check-ups even during the lockdown to prevent blindness.

‘Glaucoma affects 12 million people in India every year and 1.2 million people suffer from permanent blindness due to neglect or lack of treatment.’

According to the National Program for Control of Blindness, India has 20% of the world’s blind population.




Glaucoma occurs when the pressure inside the eyeball rises above the normal level. There are no symptoms or signs of the disease. Therefore, timely treatment is required. Otherwise, the retina is damaged. The disease is also known as "vision-theft" because of the risk of blindness.
In the last two years, people with diabetes, high blood pressure, and other serious illnesses have been stranded at home due to the Corona epidemic. Hereditary, diabetes, and the increasing use of steroid drugs are increasing the incidence of glaucoma.
The problem is that most people don’t even realize that they have this condition until it is too late. Therefore, it is important to go for regular check-ups with a glaucoma expert or an ophthalmologist.
Taking over-the-counter steroids eye drops/cream can lead to high intraocular pressure which in turn can lead to the development of this disease. Also, this is the basic difference between glaucoma and cataracts.
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Ninety percent of patients in India do not notice glaucoma at the time, and this is not to say that such patients are low-income or under-educated; even well-educated people don’t realize they have glaucoma, and when they do, it’s too late.
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Eye, one sees is never a priority with people unless people face serious vision issues, so Early detection by screening is the only way to prevent vision loss due to Glaucoma.
Source-Medindia