VIET NAM: Eye doctors discuss dangers of glaucoma

HA NOI (Viet Nam News), March 6, 2008: Ophthalmology experts yesterday called for paying more attention to glaucoma, a highly dangerous eye disease that can cause blindness. They were speaking on the occasion of World Glaucoma Day, which is being commemorated today. "Glaucoma is on the rise in Viet Nam as we are seeing an increasing number of blind people especially among the elderly," said Do Nhu Hon, director of the National Institute of Ophthalmology. "Many people suffering from glaucoma do not get medical treatment in time and risk completely losing their eyesight." Glaucoma is a progressive disease that causes irreversible loss of vision, usually without warning, when the disease is relatively advanced. Fifty per cent of affected people in the developed world and up to 90 per cent in developing countries do not know that they have the disease and therefore are not being treated. Glaucoma is usually found among people over the age of 40. Its symptoms can include eye aches as well as head aches and if ignored or diagnosed too late can lead to painful consequences. According to the Institute’s 2003 statistics, Viet Nam had about 30,000 people with glaucoma and nearly 14,000 blind people, of whom 5.7 per cent were victims of the disease. The figures could have risen dramatically since. In a bid to raise awareness on the disease and to offer treatment, doctors of the National Institute of Ophthalmology recently examine the eyes of more than 100 elderly patients in Hang Trong Ward, Hoan Kiem District, Ha Noi. The institute also organised training courses for eye doctor on glaucoma care and treatment in the north and provided thousands of leaflets on glaucoma prevention in the community. Eye experts recommend that everyone with a undergoes a routine eye examination by a qualified ophathalmologist at least once a year. It is particularly important for those above 40 years of age or family history of glaucoma or if a patient has been diagnosed with glaucoma in one or both eyes. According to World Health Organisation statistics, 5.2 million have lost their eyesight due to glaucoma, which accounts for 12.3 per cent of visually impaired people worldwide. Copyright by Viet Nam News