World Glaucoma Week: FCTA Enjoins Residents To Prioritize Regular Eye Screening

By: Prudence Okonna

To reduce the number of Glaucoma cases and risks associated with it in the Federal Capital Territory, the FCT Administration (FCTA) has called on residents to prioritize eye screening by going for regular checks at least twice a year.

This was among the messages of the Public Health Department during a road walk in commemoration of World Glaucoma Week, to sensitize residents of the Nation’s Capital on the dangers of Glaucoma in Abuja, Monday.

Accordingly, the essence of walk is to draw the attention of the residents on the consequences late detection as well as improving Eye healthcare.

Speaking during the road walk, the Director, FCT-Public Health Department, Dr. Doris John, said that prioritizing eye healthcare reduces the chances of being exposed to eye diseases such as Glaucoma which is capable of causing irreversible blindness.

John revealed that the road walk is also to educate and sensitize the public on some key facts about Glaucoma and to encourage residents to come for free Eye screening, medications, and surgeries sponsored by the FCT Administration and its partners.

She explained that there is an increased number of people suffering from Glaucoma because people do not screen themselves regularly, as they should.

The Director added that it is on this basis that the department decided to sensitize FCT residents and provide free eye care services.

Her words: “People need to get checked because the cases are increasing and that is why we want to keep increasing the sensitization, so there is a need to have their eyes checked regularly”.

She, therefore, called on residents to take advantage of the free eye screening by coming out en-masse to get themselves checked from 13th to 15th March 2024 at the Public Health Department office premises, Area 3, Garki, Abuja.

Programme Manager, Eye Care Unit, Public Health Department, Dr. Garba Abdullazeez, said that globally, Glaucoma is the most common cause of irreversible blindness.

He explained that this is because it is usually asymptomatic making it difficult to detect.

Abdulazeez, however, explained that because Glaucoma is genetic, it is easy for it to be inherited, hence the need to carry out early and regular screening.

According to him, “If you have a family history of Glaucoma, please go for regular checks, and even if you don’t have a family history, there are other conditions that give you a higher risk, such as high blood pressure and diabetes”.

Also speaking, a representative of one of the partners, Thelish Eye Centre, Sunday Omotoso, said members of staff of the center are ready to check residents who are willing to make themselves available throughout the screening exercise.

Omotoso disclosed that part of Thelish’s commitment is to provide some medications, eyeglasses, and perform surgeries for diagnosed severe cases after the screening.

A representative of the Everight Diagnostics Center, Ewuzie Onyeka said that their organization understands the importance of sensitizing and screening the residents, hence their participation in the campaign.

Onyeka explained that as part of the center’s commitment during the screening, the vital signs, and sugar levels of residents will be checked; adding that the Center’s ambulance will also be available for the benefit of FCT residents.

Abuja Digest reports that Glaucoma is a group of related eye disorders resulting in progressive damage to the optic nerve of the eye.

Abuja Digest further reports that research also shows that one in 200 people aged 40 have Glaucoma, which rises to one in eight by age 80.