By Sade Oguntola
The Chief Medical Director, University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan, Professor Jesse Otegbayo, has urged Nigerians from age 30 and above to go for regular eye screening, at least once a year, as part of strategies to stem glaucoma, a silent eye-blinding disease in Nigeria.
Flagging off free glaucoma eye checks and bicycle ride at the hospital on Tuesday as part of activities to mark this year’s World Glaucoma Week, Otegbayo said preventing blindness due to glaucoma is both better and cheaper than a cure given that the eye disease gives no symptoms in its early stages.
“I encourage all to have eye screening. I will also be getting screened for glaucoma as an example to other people. We know that it is usually due to high pressure in the eye. Just as you can have high blood pressure, one can also have high eye pressure, but they have instruments to check it.
“So, I want to recommend it to all Nigerians who are 30 years and above to have their eye checked at least once a year and if there is any symptom, they will tell you what to do.”
The hospital’s head of glaucoma services, Dr Olushola Olawoye, in a remark said that glaucoma tends to occur four times higher in black skinned people than Caucasian, and thus the screening age in blacks is 30 years, rather than 40 years recommended for white people.
Dr Olawoye, noting that glaucoma is a cause of irreversible blindness, stated that individuals that wear prescription glasses, who previously had eye injury, have blind family members or have family history of glaucoma stand a higher risk of developing the condition as they grow older.
“If you are black, your risk of having glaucoma is four times higher compared to someone that is white. If you now have all these risk factors, your chance of developing glaucoma is even far higher. So, regular eye screening is important.
“Many people will say I can see well with my eyes; there is no problem in my eye. No; glaucoma has no symptoms in the early stages. Your eye will not pain you; it will not be red or be bringing out water. By the time you start feeling something, 90 percent of the eye is gone and by that time it is too late. So, it is important for you to check your eyes because glaucoma is a silent thief of sight.”
Olawoye also cautioned people on the use of supplements and other preparations claimed to cure glaucoma.
“Good diet is good for health; it is not a cure for certain diseases. There is no evidence to show that someone who has glaucoma can be cured by eating green leafy vegetables and fruits or taking certain supplements. Glaucoma is treatable; it cannot be cured.”
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