Dr Martin Chukwukaodinaka, an Ophthalmologist at the
National Hospital, Abuja, on Tuesday advised Nigerians
to go for regular eye check to prevent glaucoma and
other eye defects.
Chukwukaodinaka told the News Agency of Nigeria
(NAN) in Abuja that most eye diseases could be
prevented.
According to him, glaucoma is a group of eye diseases
that cause progressive damage of the optic nerve at the
point where it leaves the eye to carry visual information
to the brain.
He said most types of glaucoma progressed without
warning or obvious symptoms to the patient.
“Glaucoma is an eye condition that develops when too
much fluid pressure builds up inside the eye.
“Eye screening is very important for early detection of
glaucoma, the disease cannot be prevented, but if it is
diagnosed and treated early, the disease can be
controlled,’’ he said.
Chukwukaodinaka said that it was estimated that 4.5
million persons globally were blind due to glaucoma.
He said that due to silent progression of the disease at
least in its early stages, about 50 per cent of those
affected in the developed countries were not even aware
of the disease.
The medical practitioner explained that the increased
pressure which is also called Intraocular Pressure (IOP)
could damage the optic nerve which transmits images to
the brain.
He added that if the eye pressure continued due to the
damage to the optic nerve, overtime glaucoma could
cause loss of vision, stressing that the loss of vision
could not be reversed.
“It was once believed that the cause of most or all
glaucoma was high pressure within the eye which is
known as Intraocular Pressure (IOP).
“It is now established that some people with normal IOP
may still have glaucoma, therefore, the diagnosis of
glaucoma is not just based on IOP alone, but other
factors would be considered along,’’ he said.
He said age incidence of glaucoma was higher from the
age of 40 and above.
The eye consultant said that glaucoma usually occurred
in both eyes but that it could involve each eye to a
different extent.
He said glaucoma had no early symptoms or pain from
increased pressure, noting that prevention was very
important through regular eye screening
He said the diseases could be diagnosed and managed
before long-term visual loss, adding that in cases that
were beyond the normal rage, medication could be
administered to manage the condition.
Chukwukaodinaka said the risk factors associated with
glaucoma could be inherited in the family which posed a
greater chance of contracting the diseases.
He urged the public to take a preventive measure by
engaging in regular eye screening as early diagnosis of
glaucoma helped in managing the condition.

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