KARACHI: “Around two million people are completely blind in Pakistan, where blindness rate is 1.08 per cent In Sindh, about 340000 people are suffering from blindness, while cataract and diabetes are the major causes of blindness. By birth blind children usually have cataract, which is curable but due to negligence of their parents they are forced to live with blindness. There is a dire need to make people aware about the primary care of eyes.”
These views were expressed by Eye Surgeon Dr M. Shahnawaz Munami, Community Ophthalmologist and Patron in Chief of Disabled Welfare Association, Karachi while speaking at the 16th Public Awareness Seminar on “Primary Eye Care”, held at Dr. Panjwani Center for Molecular Medicine and Drug Research (PCMD), International Center for Chemical and Biological Sciences, Karachi University (KU) on Thursday. The seminar was jointly organised by Dr. Panjwani Center for Molecular Medicine and Drug Research (PCMD), KU and Virtual Education Project Pakistan (VEPP). Health professionals, students, research scholars, NGO representatives, and general public attended the program. Talking about blindness among children, Dr Shahnawaz said that children suffering from loss of sight since their birth usually have cataract, which is completely curable if the sufferer is not upto five years old, but parents show negligence that make their children blind forever. He said that around 66 per cent blind children have cataract that needs consultation with qualified eye specialist, who can get back their vision. He said, “Around 6 million people are partially blind in this country; around 17 per cent population in the country is suffering from diabetes which is also a major cause of blindness prevailing in the country. The citizens are urged not to use ‘Rose Water’ to wash their eyes as it is so hazardous for health of the eyes. However, improper use of contact lenses may cause one’s eyes to be removed, which shows the sensitivity of the issue.”
Talking about Glaucoma, he said that there are misconceptions about this disease and people ignore when they have preliminary symptoms of the disease.
“Glaucoma is an eye disease in which the optic nerve is damaged in a characteristic pattern. This can permanently damage vision in the affected eye(s) and lead to blindness if left untreated,” he said.
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