World Glaucoma Week: Experts Prescribe Regular Eye Check

The Medical Director of Alimosho General Hospital, Lagos, Dr Madewa Adebajo, on Tuesday called for regular eye check to detect glaucoma and other eye defects early.
Adebajo made the call at a forum organised by the hospital as part of programmes to commemorate the 2020 World Glaucoma Week.
The Tide source reports that the World Glaucoma Week is a joint initiative between the World Glaucoma Association and the World Glaucoma Patient Association.
The United Nations set aside March 8 to March 14 every year to create awareness on glaucoma.
Adebajo said: “The eye is the defining pathway of the body structure. The Lagos State Government, upholding this notion, has sought impartial healthcare that cuts across every aspect of health.
“The state advocacy on regular eye check can be dated back to the era of “Jigi Bola” which was an aggressive awareness campaign on benefit of regular eye examination.
“If there is incidence of visual impairment, which could be mild, eye glasses or even eye drop could be recommended.
“However, glaucoma is a severe eye defect, which if not well managed, could result to blindness, so it is better to seek medical attention before it is too late,” he said.
Also, Dr Funmilola Taiwo, a consultant Opthalmologist with the hospital, said that glaucoma was responsible for 27 per cent of blindness that could have been avoided in the country.
According to her, glaucoma is characterised by visual field defect and optic nerve changes, with raised intraocular pressure as a risk factor.