Free Screening Exercise at Trinity Methodist Church #Glaucoma Awareness Week

On the 17th of March a free screening exercise was held at the ground of Trinity Methodist Church Kumasi in honor of Glaucoma Awareness Week Celebration. Before the exercise began there we were given the opportunity to speak to the congregation on what Glaucoma is all about and the need to patronize in the exercise we are conducting. There were individuals who have not heard of the condition before as expected and there were those who have heard of it but did not really know what the condition is really about, very few people knew and understood what was at stake with the disease.

The program started at 8am in the morning after the first service had ended, the first service started at 6:30am and ended at 8am. The exercise almost the whole day as care had to be taken with each patient to ensure the right diagnosis are made and that no stone is left unturned. Instruments used included two trial lens set, 3 ophthalmoscope and retinoscope sets, drugs for various pathology treatments and binocular assessment tools. In all patronage was good and glaucoma cases diagnosed were referred for other important tests such as Visual Field Tests and Optical Coherence Tomography to ascertain the visual field loss and the depth of optic nerve damage.

Glaucoma is the second leading cause of blindness in among Africans and African Americans and it is quite unfortunate that statistics show that about 10% of individuals who receive proper treatment still end up blind hence the importance of early detection. Currently glaucoma has no cure and can only be managed, visual fields lots cannot be regain only what is left can be maintained. Open angle glaucoma which is more predominant in Africa doesn’t give any symptoms until is too late. Glaucoma is no respecter of person, irrespective of your age, tribe, gender or geographical location you are at risk. Early diagnosis is key to preservation of vision.

What is @bettervision about?

@bettervision is is a project initiated by @nattybongo and friends to give back to the society the knowledge and skill acquired through the Optometric Studies in Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Ghana.It is an outreach system where we visit the less privileged communities to offer free eye screening services and education to the people within the community

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES
To reduce or prevent vision loss through diseases such as glaucoma, cataract and refractive errors.

To enlighten the majority of the Ghanaian population about the importance of proper visual care.

To conscientize people on the need for regular eye checks

To get more people to have their wards screened within the Critical periods of a Child’s Vision Development; thus from ages 3 to till about 10 years.

To help the blind and people with low vision live a better life within the society through education of the general public to stop stigmatization.

To help in the fight of extreme poverty that puts the health of people at risk

Our greatest gratitude goes to @fundition @adollaraday @surfyogi @girlsfoundation @bleepcoin @ackza @indigoocean @nanzo-scoop @steemstem @demotruk @pennsif @steem-ambassador @kasho and @wafrica for helping to make the aims and objectives of @bettervision a reality.

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