“Glaucoma is a silent thief of sight” – Ursula Owusu-Ekuful

Care-taker Minister of Health, Ursula Owusu-Ekuful has described glaucoma as a silent thief of sight.

According to her, about 80 million of people are living with glaucoma worldwide without being aware of their condition.

Delivering a speech on behalf of the Care-taker Minister of Health, Ursula Owusu-Ekuful, Acting Head Public Health & Health Promotion, Ministry of Health, Dr. Mavis Sakyi said “In Ghana, over 700,000 people are affected by glaucoma. It is a leading cause of irreversible blindness, yet it often goes undetected until it's too late"

"As the Ministry of health, we are committed to raising awareness about this debilitating disease and ensuring that everyone has access to early detection and treatment”

She added that this week’s celebration presents a crucial opportunity to raise awareness on risk factors, symptoms and importance of early screening for glaucoma in Ghana.

“We must work together to educate our communities about the importance of regular eye exams, especially for those at higher risk of developing glaucoma. By promoting early detection and timely intervention, we can prevent unnecessary vision loss and improve the quality of life for those affected by this condition”

“Hope is the conviction of a better tomorrow because you and I are working actively on a goal today”

She called on healthcare providers, development partners, advocates for eye health and all other stakeholders to join hands in the fight against glaucoma.

“Let us collaborate on innovative solutions, invest in research, and advocate for policies that prioritize eye health. Together, we can make a difference and create a world where glaucoma is no longer a threat to our vision”

On his part, Director-General, Ghana Health Service, Dr. Patrick Kuma-Aboagye said “Glaucoma is a chronic, progressive, degenerative disorder of the optic nerve that produces characteristic visual field damage. Glaucoma damages the eye optic nerve which carries visual information to the brain, and the resultant lost vision cannot be restored”

He added that globally, the number of people (aged 40 to 80 years) with glaucoma was estimated to be 64.3 million in 2013, increasing to 76.0 million in 2020 and projected to reach 111.8 million in 2040.

“The global prevalence of primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) is estimated to be highest in Africa with some 7.03 million cases. In Ghana, Glaucoma is the second cause of blindness, but the number one cause of IRREVERSIBLE BLINDNESS and is estimated to affect over 700,000 people in Ghana”

“Almost 8 of every 100 Ghanaians aged 30 years and above and 9 of every 100 Ghanaians aged 40 years and above have glaucoma. Glaucoma accounts for over 19 % of all cases of blindness (about 45,000 people)  in the country and is the most important cause of permanent blindness. This translates into 1 in 5 people blind from glaucoma. (Ghana blindness survey,2015)”

On prevention and promotive activities, he said “Chair, eye pressure is a major risk factor for glaucoma and the only clinically proven treatment for glaucoma is to lower the eye pressure with medications and surgery. However, early detection combined with treatment can slow down or stop glaucoma progression”

“In this vein, the Ghana Health Service is expanding the wellness clinic concept to include awareness creation and screening for glaucoma. By this, we implore both persons living with the disease and those not to go for regular checkups”

“As part of the aware creation, we are Imploring everyone to get checked because the earlier the diagnosis, the less damage will be done and the more vision will be saved.”

“Recommending that anyone 20 years and above have an eye examination every 2 years till age 30 years after which an eye exam should be performed yearly”

Patron, Glaucoma Patient Association of Ghana, Dr. Nana Konadu Agyeman-Rawlings said “As a proud patron of the Glaucoma Association, I am happy to be part of this year’s World Glaucoma Week, and honoured to join hands with you in the mission of uniting for a glaucoma-free world”

“This year's theme “Uniting for a Glaucoma – Free World” resonates deeply with our collective commitment to raising awareness and fostering collaboration to combat this sight-threatening condition”

Dr. Agyeman-Rawlings hinted that glaucoma affects millions worldwide, yet awareness and early detection remain paramount in mitigating its impact.

“Through our unified efforts, we can empower individuals with knowledge about glaucoma, promote regular eye screenings, and advocate for accessible and effective treatments”

“Let us amplify our voices and mobilize resources towards eradicating glaucoma to ensure a brighter future for all and enjoy a life free from the constraints of this silent thief of sight”

President of Glaucoma Patient Association of Ghana, Harrison Kofi Abutiate said “For our part as GpAG, we are concerned about people living with glaucoma. We are worried about the taxes on eye medicines and equipment which make treatment expensive to our members”

“We also plead for financial and material support from NGOs, public and corporate organizations in this awareness creation for glaucoma”

“It is worthy to note that various research labs in the world are studying how to protect retinal ganglion cells that make up the optic nerve, from attack and degeneration. There is also analysis of 3 additional genres that contribute to the most common type of glaucoma, that is the primary open angle glaucoma (POAG) so that modifications can be made on them”

Founder, Becks Glaucoma Foundation Ghana, Rebecca Amenu said “We at Becks Glaucoma Foundation Ghana, endeavor to provide mechanized support to the government, individuals and the nation at large to solve humanities eye related issues this we do by giving hope in reviving sight to the destitute in our communities and beyond”

“However, we can not accomplish this alone therefore, I’m making a passionate appeal to philanthropist, religious bodies, health organizations, and the media to come on people who board to support Becks Glaucoma Foundation Ghana with funds or kind to hopefully restore the sight of the people who have fallen victim to the silent thief of sight, Glaucoma”

Taking his turn, Chairman, Glaucoma Working Group of the OSG, Charles Mensah Cofie said “World Glaucoma Week is a global initiative of the WGA in order to raise awareness about Glaucoma”

He noted the final goal is to alert everyone to have regular eye checks in order to detect glaucoma as early as possible.

The Glaucoma Working Group of the OSG, he explained, is a group made up of ophthalmologists who have studied further and dedicated themselves to the management of glaucoma.

Story by: Joshua Kwabena Smith