Seven hundred thousand Ghanaians are living with glaucoma - Ophthalmologist reveals

An Ophthalmologist, Dr. Kwame Appiah Bonsu, has revealed that only three percent of Ghanaians are aware of their Glaucoma condition even though currently about seven hundred thousand Ghanaians are living with the eye disease.

He said because the eye disease is asymptomatic at its early stages, affected people can live with it for a very long time until suddenly their vision starts to blur.

“If you are lucky, one eye can go blind before the other eye; which normally the case. So the best way to prevent glaucoma is to go for regular checkups or eyes screens. When Glaucoma is detected early, treatments reduce the progress of vision loss.” he said.

Dr. Bonsu made these comments on #InFocus segment of HSTV’s Morning Show, #HealthyMorning, talking to HSTV’s Cecil Lee Longdon about Glaucoma: risk factors and treatments, as part of commemoration of Glaucoma week.

Touching on steroids, he said the abuse of steroidal drugs can also lead to Glaucoma, adding that, steroidal drugs that cause Glaucoma are called Steroidal Glaucoma.

He said steroidal drugs must not be used without prescription or doctors’ advice. According to him, prolong use of steroids is common among body-builders because they think it is shortest way to build muscles.

“Glaucoma is irreversible” he stressed, “so even if you don’t you have Glaucoma, visit the eye clinic annually for checkup to be a hundred percent sure” he advised the public.