PGIMER’s Advanced Eye Centre will observe World Glaucoma Week, from March 12-18, 2023
“Advanced Eye Centre PGIMER Chandigarh plans a chain of activities to commemorate World Glaucoma Week, from March 12-18, 2023. The main aim is to bring public focus on glaucoma which affects all kinds of populations. The main highlight of the event is Glaucoma Awareness Walk is will organize on March 12, 2023, at 7:45 am from Rock Garden-Sukhna Lake to create more understanding and knowledge on Glaucoma, which is seen as the leading cause of irreversible blindness in India. We have invited many health professionals, people from various walks of life, and patients from tri-city areas. Following the awareness walks there will be an awareness skit and painting competition for children” stated Prof S S Pandav Head, Dept of Ophthalmology and Advanced Eye Centre PGIMER while interacting with media regarding the upcoming World Glaucoma awareness week.
Apart from the awareness walk, we are also conducting an Open-air musical event on 11th march 2023 at 4 pm at Sector 17 plaza Chandigarh. We are also conducting public awareness lecture on 15th march 2023 at 3 pm at advanced Eye Centre Chandigarh Apart from that, we are also focusing disease awareness on patients and caretakers, through various electronic media regularly, added Prof Pandav.
Glaucoma is an entity associated with many risk factors of which the modifiable factor is an increase in eye pressure, and is characterized by damage to the optic nerve leading to irreversible blindness. Most often glaucoma cause silent vision loss as the patient will not be symptomatic till the moderate to advanced stage. Early recognition and treatment are at most important to prevent the progression of glaucoma. Glaucoma more commonly affects people beyond the age of 40 years. High myopia, diabetics, and those with a positive family history have a higher risk of developing glaucoma.
Currently, glaucoma affects approximately 80 million people around the world, about half of whom are unaware that they have the disease and may not have access to much-needed care. Our Country bears a huge chunk of parents every 8th individual per nearly 40 million has either glaucoma or is at risk of developing the disease. 11.2 million Indians suffer from the disease with 1.1 million blind, including children. Screening family members of patients with glaucoma is mandatory, as this disease can affect siblings and children of patients with glaucoma in up to 10 to 15% of cases.
Advanced Eye Centre PGIMER being a tertiary center is regularly organizing and participating in various CMEs for general ophthalmologists from the Northern part of the country providing knowledge, skill, and motivation to them. We found that these academic activities helped with early diagnosis and timely referral to a higher center at the initial stage of the disease itself. This is evident from our own exponentially increasing number of patients for the last 7 years. Our team is also providing state of the art training for many postgraduates and fellows from various sectors of our nation and making them capable of catering services in their respective areas. We also conduct a patient education program every year in the Advanced Eye Centre. It helps patients to get knowledge about the disease course, needs for regular follow-up, and adherence to treatment along with video demonstration of how to instill medication efficiently.
Advanced Eye Centre, PGIMER Chandigarh has provided services to 3965 newly registered and 24850 follow-up patients for the period of April-2022 to Feb 2023. Our eminent Faculty members are taking all efforts to provide all kinds of modern surgical care which is available in India.
Currently, the team has 4 eminent and well-renowned international and or national faculty members under the leadership of Prof SS Pandav.
