“Live without blemish. Make your sight clear.” This is the message of Iapb, the International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness, for the world glaucoma week, which is celebrated until 18 March. The message launched for the initiative is that glaucoma is an eye disease, linked to ocular pressure, which affects around one million Italians, half of whom do not know it.
The pathology does not give symptoms except in an advanced stage, when the damages are no longer recoverable. If it is discovered in time, blindness can be avoided. For this reason, the invitation is to pay a visit to the ophthalmologist, without putting it off. For the week, Iapb (the International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness) and Uici, the Italian Union of the Blind and Visually Impaired, join forces in a series of appointments in 85 cities, most of which are linked to eye checks, information meetings and distribution of information material.
All information can be found on the dedicated website www.settimanaglaucoma.it. On the occasion of the world glaucoma week, Iapb Italia Onlus also released the first data to emerge from the Vista in Salute prevention campaign, which offered screening for glaucoma, maculopathies and diabetic retinopathy to over eight thousand people over the age of 40 years in 54 Italian cities and over the three years. The data shows that 10% of glaucoma patients do not get enough treatment and 4% of those who have undergone the visit, one in 25 people, is at a very high risk of being affected by the disease, without having the slightest suspicion risking losing your eyesight. “The only tool to diagnose glaucoma in time is a visit to the ophthalmologist and the only way to stem its course is to scrupulously follow the therapy. Only in this way – concludes Mario Barbuto, president of Iapb Italia Onlus – can we defeat a sneaky pathology , silent, which feeds on disinformation”.
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