Ahmedabad: Experts and ophthalmologists gathered at the Blind People’s Association (BPA) on Saturday to discuss the alarming prevalence and prevention of glaucoma. World Glaucoma Week takes place this year from March 8 to 14, serving as a global call to action. Darshana Vaghela, MoS (urban development and housing), inaugurated the event, praising the initiative for its focus on public health.Jatin Tiwari, director (programme operations) at Sightsavers, an NGO, said the need of the hour is better screening for the population above 40 years, as early intervention is key to preventing permanent blindness. Dr Uday Gajiwala, senior ophthalmologist, emphasised in his talk the need to carry out mandatory intraocular pressure measurement even during routine check-ups to find hidden cases that often go unnoticed until it is too late.Experts said that due to the rapid rise in non-communicable diseases (NCDs) like diabetes and hypertension, there is also a parallel rise in glaucoma cases, now a major cause of irreversible vision loss worldwide. This multidisciplinary approach aims to integrate eye care into standard medical protocols to protect the quality of life for ageing citizens.. .
