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Need to create more awareness across the country on vision care: Industry Experts
Sep 28, 2020
NEW DELHI, 28 September 2020: Despite a sizeable blind population in our country, eye diseases are not prioritized from a perspective of driving awareness about symptoms and early diagnosis. This was highlighted at a multi-stakeholder webinar 'East India Vision Care', organized by FICCI and Vision 2020 on 22nd September. The aim of the webinar was to highlight the impact of the pandemic on people living with compromised vision due to various eye-related ailments.
As per the National Blindness and Visually Impaired Survey 2019, most cases of blindness (92.9%) and visual impairment (96.2%) in India, are due to avoidable or preventable causes.
Treatment for some eye ailments like retinal diseases require the medicine to be injected in the patient's eye which could only be done by a medical practitioner. Missing regular treatment dosage increases the risk of deteriorating the vision further.
Dr Rasmi Ranjan Satpathy, Joint Director of Health Services (NCD), Odisha said, "Despite a sizeable blind population in our country, eye diseases are not prioritized from a perspective of driving awareness about symptoms and early diagnosis. The pandemic has brought to fore challenges faced by people living with compromised vision. The fear of COVID is keeping them away from their doctors, thereby increasing the risk of further deterioration of vision. Subsequently, it could increase the burden of blindness in our country, which is one-third of the world's cumulative blind population. Therefore, it important for patients to strictly follow the guidelines and inform the doctor if their symptoms get aggravated."
Dr Taraprasad Das, Regional Chair for South East Asia, International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness (IAPB) said, "Elderly living with poor vision compensate for it through the sense of touch - physically leaning or seeking support to avoid falls, touching objects to identify the details appropriately, etc. thereby, exposing them more to the virus."
Dr Das added that as pe the recently published study from the LV Prasad Eye Institute, Hyderabad (Scientific Reports, 2020) has also revealed that people with visual impairment have 1.5 times risk of fall compared to normal sighted people. The fear of infection has also made them defer and cancel their scheduled doctor appointments. He added that as the lockdown eases patients should start going to the doctor, while following proper safety measures and social distancing norms.
Dr Ashwani Meherda, Consultant Ophthalmology Capital Hospital, Odisha said that it is extremely critical to raise awareness about eye diseases such as cataract, glaucoma, and retinal diseases like AMD and DME, which are the key contributors of preventable blindness.
"Elderly patients living with compromised vision are more vulnerable because they are at a risk of suffering from depression and anxiety. Patients should be encouraged to keep a track of changes in their symptoms and strictly follow the treatment plan prescribed by their doctor," noted Dr Meherda.
The experts highlighted that there is increased risk of worsening of eye disease if the treatments are delayed more than 3 months. The COVID-19 lockdown has forced patients to miss their appointments for almost 4 months, now. This could add to India's burden of blind population, which is 4.8 million.
The Conclave was attended by Dr Kumar Saikia, State Program Officer, National Blindness control, Health & Family Welfare Department, Government Assam; Mr Chanakya Misra, Business Head, Novartis India Ltd; Dr Partha Biswas, Scientific Committee Chairman, AIOS; Ms Aruna Howal, Head-Employee Benefits, JB Boda Insurance & Reinsurance Brokers Pvt Ltd; Dr Mausumi De Banerjee, Hony Secretary, IMA Calcutta and Vice President, Bengal Obstetrics and Gynaecological Society (BOGS); Dr Dipali Deka, Director, Regional Institute of Ophthalmology, Guwahati Medical College, Assam; Dr RC Paul, Chairman & CEO, Susrut Eye Foundation & Patron, Ophthalmological Society of West Bengal; Dr Ananta Banerjee, DMS & Head of Ophthalmology Dept. ESI Hospital Sealdah, West Bengal; Dr Harsha Bhattacharjee, Managing Trustee, Sri Sankaradeva Nethralaya, Assam; Prof Dr Jayashree Dora, Sup. & HOD, Ophthalmology, VSSIMSAR, Burla, Odhisha; Dr Asim Ghosh, Director, Regional Institute of Ophthalmology, Kolkata; Dr Ratna Devi, CEO & Co-founder of Dakshama Health and Education.