Over 30 patients get free eye surgeries in Glaucoma Week 

ABOUT 32 residents in the Lake Zone have undergone free eye surgeries at Bugando Zonal Referral Hospital, as part of commemorating the Glaucoma Week.

The commemorations took place last week, with the President of the Tanzania Ophthalmology Society (TOS), Dr Christopher Mwanansao, saying that majority of adults were suffering from cataract, glaucoma and blurred vision types of eye complications.

“We have also dealt with eye hypertension, a group of diseases that attack the cerebral nerve, which (nerve) transmits visual communication to the brain,” said Dr Mwanansao.

According to him, the disease is caused by high blood pressure due to an abnormality in the circulatory system, leading to nerve damage, thus, loss of the vision.

The TOS boss explained further that majority of children who were attended during the Week were born with eye pressure (Glaucoma).

He urged members of the public to regularly go for eye tests and have timely treatments for those found with problems.

“Eye problems become serious as Bugando hospital serves over 2,500 patients in a month,” he disclosed.

Bugando Managing Director, Professor Fabian Masaga, urged people with eye complications to avoid the use of glasses without consultation with medical experts.

Prof. Masaga also recommended regular physical exercises to prevent diseases like diabetes and high blood pressure which also lead to eye complications.

“Smoking is completely discouraged as it is among eye problem causes. People should also consider nutritional food consumption for their well-being and health,” he explained.

He added that the biggest problem that exists is that many workers do not have habit of testing their eyes, mentioning workers most at risk as welders of metal equipment, industrial workers including pharmaceutical factories as well as office workers.