LGH observes glaucoma week

LAHORE: World Glaucoma Week 2019 was celebrated at Lahore General Hospital where awareness walk and seminar was held under the aegis of Department of Ophthalmology.

Post Graduate Medical Institute Principal Prof Mohammad Tayyab said out of total eight crore patients of glaucoma only in Pakistan, we have 20 lakh who were caught by this disease because there was no proper awareness among the masses and people wait a long to start the treatment.

Prof Muhammad Moeen and other medical experts, addressing on the occasion, said prevalence of blindness in Pakistan was much higher than the international figure of 10 per cent which was due to late diagnosis and lack of awareness among the general population for which media should also play its role. They said glaucoma was called the silent thief of vision as is the leading cause of irreversible blindness in the world and it means that whatever vision the patient loses is lost forever therefore early diagnosis and treatment is very necessary.

They said now at Lahore General Hospital we have got the latest equipments including OCT and automated visual field test to diagnose patients with glaucoma and experienced surgeons perform all types of surgeries. Professors of eye department emphasised the need to have an eye exam for all at the age of 40 years to screen for glaucoma and everybody having glaucoma or Kala Motia in their family should be seen by an experienced ophthalmologist at the earliest.

The chief guest Dr Mohammad Yaqeen and guest of honour Dr Saima Amjad praised the holding of the event and said it would play an important role in creating awareness among masses. They said diabetes, heart diseases, high blood pressure and lack of blood create the disease of glaucoma and we should adopt maximum preventive measures.

An awareness walk was also held at Lahore General Hospital. Prof Mohammad Moeen, Prof Mahmood Saeed, Prof Nadeem Riaz, Dr Husain Ahmed Khaqan, Prof Nadeem Hafeez Butt, Prof Abdul Hayi, Dr Nasira Anayat and Dr Zubair Saleem along with Medical Superintendent Dr Mahmood Salahud-din attended the walk.

suspended: Punjab Advisor Health Hanif Patafi during a surprise visit to Tehsil Headquarters Hospital Athara Hazari has suspended MS Dr Zafar and Woman Medical Officer Dr Safia Kausar for showing negligence and the sub-standard cleanliness condition of the hospital. He also visited different wards of the hospital and reviewed the medical facilities being provided.

The Advisor said the surprise visits were being conducted to ensure the cleanliness arrangements and provision of medical facilities to the patients. He said no compromise would be made on cleanliness and provision of best healthcare facilities to the patients in the public sector hospitals. He said the government by issuing Sehat Insaaf Card has provided relief to the people who were deceived by previous governments.