Ghanaians advised to go for regular glaucoma screening

About 1,500 residents of Kumasi Metropolis have been screened for glaucoma to help improve their sight.

The Mama Ellen Foundation, a health-based Non-Governmental Organization (NGO), conducted the exercise in collaboration with the Kumasi South Hospital.

Mrs. Ellen Adutwumwaah-Semenyo, Executive-Director of the Foundation, said the exercise was held at separate suburbs within the Metropolis spreading over a period of about 18 months, including Daban, Atasamanso, Sokoban and Santasi.

She was speaking to the Ghana News Agency after a similar exercise conducted by the Foundation for residents of Santasi-Anyinam in Kumasi at the weekend.

The screening targeted about 300 people, particularly women, children and the aged.

Glaucoma is an eye disorder in which the optic nerve is damaged, leading to visual impairment in the affected eye and had the potential to progress into complete blindness if untreated.

It is triggered by increased pressure within the eye.

Mrs. Adutwumwaah-Semenyo indicated that if the condition was detected early enough, it was possible to slow the progression into a fully-blown glaucoma with medical and surgical means.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO) glaucoma is the second largest cause of blindness after cataract.

The Executive-Director advised Ghanaians to strive to go for regular eye check-ups for their own benefit.

She said people with family history of glaucoma had about six per cent chance of developing the disease.

Source: GNA