HYDERABAD: An estimated 2.4 lakh glaucoma patients in Hyderabad and 10 lakh across Telangana stand a high risk of vision loss , underlining the importance of early detection, the Hyderabad Opthalmology Association (HOA) said on Sunday.The figures have been obtained after analysing data from state facilities and various studies indicating that 3.5 per cent of the population in Telangana, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Kerala are glaucoma patients.“The worrying part is that only 10 per cent of these probable cases are detected. While 90 per cent stand a chance of becoming blind if they do not get treatment in time,” said Dr Manoj Mathur, president of HOA.In their advice, doctors said if one regularly bumps into things, is unable to pour water or has difficulty climbing steps then the person might have ‘progressed’ glaucoma.Glaucoma presents no symptoms until the disease has progressed upto 50 per cent, which means that by the time a person has any of the above symptoms, he/she might have already lost part of their vision, Mathur said.“These are not symptoms in early glaucoma. They happen only when it has reached an advanced stage. Such patients should rush to a doctor,” explains Dr Vanita Pathak-Ray, senior glaucoma specialist, Centre for Sight Banjara Hills. She added that aneye test is a mandate of everyone above 35-years to nail undetected glaucoma.Also once vision loss happens due to glaucoma, it cannot be reversed, hence prevention is the best way to deal with it. “By the time most glaucoma patients reach an ophthalmologist, 50 per cent damage of the eye has already taken place. And 90 per cent of those with glaucoma aren’t aware that they are victims which makes it important to detect cases earlier to help save vision,” pointed out Dr Siddharth Dikshit , consultant glaucoma specialist, LV Prasad Eye Institute. Glaucoma usually occurs around 35- 40 years but can be present at birth or the onset can be during teenage years. An entire gamut of clinical tests, including eye pressure measurement, assessment of angle vision closure and check-up of the retina can detect glaucoma.“Glaucoma affects a specific part of the optive nerve. At the beginning of glaucoma structural changes happen in this part of the nerve but does not have any impact on functionality,” added Dr Vanita.

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