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Free glaucoma screening being offered at GPHC
– as World Glaucoma Week is observed
Starting today World Glaucoma Week [March 11- 17, 2018] will be observed. As part of the observance the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation [GPHC] will be involved in two key activities: free glaucoma screening sessions and glaucoma Continuing Medical Education session for health professionals.
For the past seven years the GPHC has been offering an enhanced glaucoma service at its Eye Clinic.
Moreover, the Eye Clinic will be conducting daily glaucoma screening sessions during the week from tomorrow to Friday [March 16] from 13:00hrs to 14:30 hours.
According to information released by the GPHC yesterday, the staff Ophthalmologists will be screening approximately 40 patients per day during which vision testing, eye pressure testing and examination of the eye nerve will be done. 
As patients arrive at the clinic they will be required to register with the clerks and will then be given a slip for the screening process. Registration will be limited to the daily quotas.
Eligible individuals for screening will include all Individuals who are 40 years or older. However, individuals below 40 years are invited only if they have the risk factors including blood relatives diagnosed with glaucoma and persons of African descent.
“If you have already been diagnosed with glaucoma you are not eligible for screening,” the GPHC outlined in a release. Glaucoma suspects will be eligible for screening.
Meanwhile, it was noted in collaboration with Medi Pharm Inc, the hospital will be hosting a Glaucoma CME Sessions for Health Care Professionals on Sunday March 18, 2018 from 08:00 to 12:00 hours at the Herdmanston Lodge, Queenstown.
These sessions will concentrated on educating Medical Practitioners, Optometrists, Nurses and other eye care professionals on Glaucoma diagnosis and management.
In Guyanese patients, Open Angle Glaucoma is the most common form of glaucoma. In fact it has been revealed that Patients of Afro-Guyanese origin are more prone to develop open angle glaucoma and are more likely to have family members suffering from glaucoma. It has also been found that glaucoma in Afro-Guyanese patients is usually very severe and more difficult to treat.
But there are many ways to treat open angle glaucoma. According to the GPHC, “Over the past years, patients at the hospital have been exposed to the two common methods of treating glaucoma which are medications [eye-drops], laser procedures and glaucoma surgery.”
According to the GPHC, “This World Glaucoma Week campaign was chosen because of the fact that many people suffer with glaucoma and they still do not know it! It’s called ‘invisible’ glaucoma because the disease acts silently by causing damage to the optic nerve [or the eye nerve which allows us to see the world] without the patient having any notable symptoms.”
The consequence is that “bit by bit over the years this damage continues, unknown to the patient, until almost the entire nerve is destroyed. This nerve damage [called glaucomatous optic neuropathy] is permanent and cannot be reversed.”
When the patient begins to experience visual symptoms, they would have already had significant nerve damage. It is this dilemma that has accentuated the need for early screening of the disease. According to information disseminated by GPHC, once glaucoma is diagnosed early, treatment can be started early thus preventing persons from becoming blind unnecessarily.
Moreover, glaucoma can be controlled with treatment so that patients can enjoy comfortable vision throughout their life.
At the GPHC, the Department of Ophthalmology offers services for diagnosing and treating Glaucoma. The hospital offers daily eye clinics on weekdays where patients can be given eye examinations for the detection of Glaucoma. Patients need to be referred to the hospital before they can obtain an appointment for any service. These referrals can be obtained from their general physicians.
According to Dr. Shailendra Sugrim, Head of Department and Glaucoma Specialist at the GPHC last year in observance of World Glaucoma week, approximately 250 patients were screened for glaucoma through a collaborative effort by Ophthalmologists, Optometrists and Nurses.
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