As glaucoma is a silent eye disease that affects the visual nerves resulting in blindness, early detection and treatment could prevent loss of vision, said doctors here on Thursday.
As part of World Glaucoma Week observance from March 8 to 14, Erode District Blindness Control Society and Erode Idhayam Narpani Iyakkam Trust organised an awareness rally that was flagged off by Collector C. Kathiravan at the Collectorate.
This year’s theme is “B-I-G” - Beat Invisible Glaucoma and college students held placards with the message ‘early diagnosis could reduce the progression of the disease and prevent blindness’. The rally passed through Perundurai Road before culminating at the Kalingarayan Illam.
Doctors said that people should be aware that glaucoma had no warning symptoms until it reached an advanced stage.
People with red eye blurred vision, severe eye and head ache, change in dimension of vision, tubular vision and sudden loss of sight should immediately approach the government hospitals.
They said that people above 40 years, persons with diabetes and hypertension and with a family history of glaucoma should screen their eyes for early detection of blindness. “Glaucoma accounts for over 8% of blindness in the country and screening is essential,” the doctors added.