The majority of causes of blindness in Pakistan are preventable. Glaucoma is a leading cause. There should be more focus on Eye hospitals.
Glaucoma consists of raised intra-ocular-tension which causes pressure atrophy of the optic nerve resulting in decreasing vision. This may be insidious, or sudden. It may be asymptomatic or occur with pain in the eye and coloured halos around lights and decreasing visual field specially un-noticed when at the periphery.
Everyone must know the quick way to roughly assess intra-ocular-pressure. Ask the person to close eye-lids. Place two index-finger-tips on the upper eye-lid and press upon the eye-ball alternatively to assess the fluctuation of the eye-ball. Less fluctuation indicates high pressure.This method may be used to screen patients for glaucoma. It may be taught to servants etc. to pass on in their villages etc. It may be done on beggars on the streets groping about and so prevent total blindness in them . It may be done as an emergency self-examination in case of eye-pain when accompanied by the other signs mentioned above.
Most cases respond to 2% pilocarpine eye-drops, until further assessment can be done when and where possible in the under-developed world.
Glaucoma consists of raised intra-ocular-tension which causes pressure atrophy of the optic nerve resulting in decreasing vision. This may be insidious, or sudden. It may be asymptomatic or occur with pain in the eye and coloured halos around lights and decreasing visual field specially un-noticed when at the periphery.
Everyone must know the quick way to roughly assess intra-ocular-pressure. Ask the person to close eye-lids. Place two index-finger-tips on the upper eye-lid and press upon the eye-ball alternatively to assess the fluctuation of the eye-ball. Less fluctuation indicates high pressure.This method may be used to screen patients for glaucoma. It may be taught to servants etc. to pass on in their villages etc. It may be done on beggars on the streets groping about and so prevent total blindness in them . It may be done as an emergency self-examination in case of eye-pain when accompanied by the other signs mentioned above.
Most cases respond to 2% pilocarpine eye-drops, until further assessment can be done when and where possible in the under-developed world.
