By Our Special Correspondent
Shillong: The biggest cause of blindness is ignorance said Meghalaya Governor Ranjit Shekhar Mooshahary.
Mooshahary was speaking at a function to observe World Glaucoma Week (March 10-16) on Wednesday. He pointed out that debilitating diseases like Glaucoma need to be addressed in innovative ways.
The Governor also cautioned that ignorance is equal to physical blindness because most people are still unaware about Glaucoma and its potential to completely destroy sight.
“Let us dispel ignorance not just by visiting eye specialists but by creating an aware society because most people choose to be blind even with their eyes open,” Mooshahary exhorted the audience. He also rued the inadequacy of doctors, of infrastructure and affordability of treatment.
Joint Secretary, Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, Ms Sujaya Krishnan, who flew in especially to be part of the programme which focuses on the role of media and civil society in eliminating avoidable blindness with special focus on Glaucoma, said Glaucoma is the largest cause for irreversible blindness in the country although blindness has been brought down from 1.3 per cent to 1 per cent.
“In a country with a hundred million elderly people over the age of 60 it is important to create access for regular health check-ups,” Krishnan said.
She suggested the creation of separate eye wards and said that Meghalaya can lead the way in health care. Ms Krishnan was appreciative of the welcome she received here and said, “India knows you for the Shillong Chamber Choir but also for your hospitality and warmth.”
She promised to render all help to improve health care in Meghalaya.
Commissioner and Secretary, Health & Family Welfare, DP Wahlang who is also the Chairperson of the Meghalaya Blindness Society informed that there are about 22,000 blind people in Meghalaya of which 75 per cent (15,000 approx) are cases of avoidable blindness.
Wahlang rued the shortage of Ophthalmologists. “We have only 5 Ophthalmologists when the need is for 50 of them. We plan to offset this by enrolling 39 AYUSH doctors to man the school health programmes by April 2013. By this time all school children would be able to get their eyes tested,” Wahlang pointed out.
Wahlang also stated that people should be made aware that sophisticated eye testing equipments are available at government hospitals.
“More complicated surgeries would be conducted jointly with private institutions like Bansara Eye Care Centre which has been doing commendable work in eye care,” Wahlang said adding that Glaucoma needs to be addressed at an early stage because it is preventable.
Wahlang was particularly heartened by the presence of world renowned Ophthalmologist Dr Tanuj Dada who runs the RP Centre at AIIMS, New Delhi.
Earlier Dr Dada made an interesting presentation on ‘Glaucoma: Truths and Myths’. He explained that Glaucoma does irreparable damage to the optic nerve and informed that out of the 12 million cases of blindness in India, 1.1 million are blind from Glaucoma.
“It is sad that 90 per cent of people with Glaucoma are undetected due to poor level of awareness,” Dr Dada said while listing out the symptoms of the disease. He said there is need for medical social worker to reach out to the people so that the sneak thief of vision – Glaucoma is arrested in time.
Several education materials were released on the occasion and members of the media and civil society also made their presentations on how to partner with Ophthalmologists to counter the invasion of Glaucoma.
Dr JV Basaiawmoit, Medical Director, Bansara Eye Care Centre and former DHS (MCH&FW) cum Advisor Ophthalmology, Govt of Meghalaya, who initiated the idea of the workshop, urged people above the age of 40 and with a family history of Glaucoma or who suffer from myopia to visit an Ophthalmologist. She also solicited the partnership of the media and civil society in this battle against Glaucoma.
A patient from Mawlai whose Glaucoma was detected early in October 2011 gave his testimony of how he saved his eyesight by visiting an Opthalmologist post-haste.