‘Glaucoma cases in children on the rise in Pakistan’

Ophthalmologist says annual eye check up vital to detect early signs of ailment

The prevalence of glaucoma - a vision-threatening eye ailment – in children is increasing at a rapid pace in Pakistan.

This revelation was made by the Al-Shifa Trust Eye Hospital on Friday which also called for an intervention.

This may be due to the high incidence of consanguinity or family marriages in Pakistan, it said.

Timely medication and surgical treatment can help control this disease with a good visual outcome and can save many children from lifelong visual disability, said Prof Dr Sumaira Altaf, Head of the Paediatric department at Al-Shifa Trust.

She said that glaucoma in children has become a growing cause of concern worldwide and in Pakistan as millions are suffering from it.

Treatment of glaucoma in children needs specialised medical and surgical care and frequent follow-ups hence parents of children suffering from childhood Glaucoma have to face psychological and financial stress, she added.

Dr Sumaira Altaf said that Al-Shifa Trust Eye Hospital provides free of cost medical and surgical treatment to 80 percent of patients who are treated by experienced and skilled Paediatric Ophthalmologists.

On average 22 to 25 pediatric eye surgeries are performed daily including various types of surgeries for glaucoma, she informed.

The successful treatment of these patients has resulted in a high number of referrals to the trust’s hospitals from all over the country.

A large number of cases of pediatric glaucoma have secondary causes either due to trauma, previous eye surgery, associated eye anomalies or injudicious use of steroids.

Dr Sumaira highlighted that the vision of many unfortunate children has been compromised because of the careless use of over-the-counter steroid eye drops.

Moreover, harmful medicines are frequently prescribed by salesmen at pharmacies, relatives, quacks, and sometimes by general practitioners, who are ignorant that these medicines lead to complications and irreversible blindness.

Pharmaceutical companies should also mention the side effects of these medicines on their packaging as knowledge regarding paediatric glaucoma is scarce, she said, adding that examination at birth by an ophthalmologist is recommended for every child to rule out any eye abnormalities.

She advised that an annual eye examination by an ophthalmologist is recommended to detect early signs of glaucoma or other ocular problems and intervene before it is too late.

Dr Sumaira Altaf said that the Al-Shifa Department of Paediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus Rawalpindi has fully equipped OPD clinics, clinics for pediatric vision and refraction as well as all the diagnostic tests required for children.

The competent team of Ophthalmologists caters to an OPD of 250 to 300 children daily while 22 to 25 pediatric eye surgeries are performed daily under general anesthesia.

Our Paediatric Ophthalmology Department is playing a key role in our fight against childhood blindness, she said.

 

Published in The Express Tribune, April 1^st, 2023.