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St. Thomas Hospital Holds Eye Screening Exercise To Mark World Glaucoma Day

By Beyonce Diamond Kpogli
Health St. Thomas Hospital Holds Eye Screening Exercise To Mark World Glaucoma Day
MAR 20, 2019 LISTEN

St. Thomas Eye Hospital, one of the leading eye hospitals in the country, has marked World Glaucoma Day with a free eye screening as part of its corporate social responsibilities.

The hospital, which operates branches at Osu on the main Oxford street and Mataheko, recently organized the health screening, attracting over 100 people at Mataheko branch who had their eyes tested.

In an interview with the Medical Administrator, Dr. Sandra Mills, she revealed that the St. Thomas hospital is well known for its social responsibilities and screening people each year.

She added that most people are now aware that, there is a condition called Glaucoma and want their eyes checked.

"I wouldn't say glaucoma is on the rise per se, it just that people are more aware that, there is a condition called glaucoma. People are having their eyes screened more often that's why we seem to be having more glaucoma cases in the clinic than we were having previously", she revealed.

She entreated the public to pass by the hospital with their National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) card to get their eyes tested.

She also advised the general public to visit their hospitals at least once a year to get their eyes tested.

About Glaucoma :

Glaucoma is a disease that damages your eye’s optic nerve. It usually happens when fluid builds up in the front part of your eye. That extra fluid increases the pressure in your eye, damaging the optic nerve.

Glaucoma tends to be inherited and may not show up until later in life. The increased pressure, called intraocular pressure, can damage the optic nerve, which transmits images to your brain. If the damage continues, glaucoma can lead to permanent vision loss.

It is also the leading cause of blindness for people over 60 years old. But blindness from glaucoma can often be prevented with early treatment.

About St. Thomas Eye Hospital

St Thomas Eye Hospital is a specialist eye clinic providing advanced surgical services in retinal detachment, laser surgeries, cataract, and glaucoma among others. It also has a community outreach program that provides free medical screening and surgeries to people living in extreme poverty.

The Hospital is a privately owned with state-of-the-art facilities. It used to be called the North Western Eye Centre but later changed to its current name in 2013.

The hospital provides a wide range of medical, surgical and laser services as well as specialized investigations in ophthalmology.

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