GLAUCOMA

Glaucoma is an eye disease that is often associated with elevated intraocular pressure, which damage the eye (optic) nerve and leads to loss of vision and even blindness.

       The average number of Ghanaians who have glaucoma is estimated to be 700,000, a report released by Glaucoma Association of Ghana. About 250,000 of the figure were not aware that they have contracted the disease while 60,000 were also blind.
The severe type of Glaucoma is the Primary Open Angle Glaucoma (POAG), which is slow and painless. Glaucoma is an eye disease which have few symptoms at the early stages but eventually leads to the loss of the sight.
Research shows that people over the ages of 40 happened to have contracted these diseases due to the Intraocular Pressure (IOP) in the eye. This happens when the fluid (Aqueous Humor) builds up in front of the eye (anterior chamber). The fluid increases in pressure damaging the optic nerve which leads to blindness.
Study shows that, the nerve connects the eye to the brain, allowing vision and interpretation of things. The damage is irreversible due to the pressure sensitivity of the optic nerve.
Awareness for Glaucoma is not as high as that of alcoholic drinks and few Ghanaians know about this disease. The number of people who were not aware of the disease waited till it got worse because there was not enough awareness creation of this disease.

Glaucoma sited at the early stages can be cured and to limit the number of people already blind, it is important to be screened at hospitals to reduce the number of people contracting this disease.
The Government of Ghana should subsidize Glaucoma drugs available to manage the disease and also social media outlets should campaign on this dreadful disease. The world is a wonder to see every  day so don’t let glaucoma get in the way.