UNDER the theme, “United for a “Glaucoma Free World,” Guyana joined the rest of the world in observing World Glaucoma Week 2025. The theme focuses on bringing communities worldwide together to fight against glaucoma blindness from March 9 to March 15, 2025.

To bring awareness to this important topic, the optometrists and staff of the Eye Clinic at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) on Wednesday hosted a Glaucoma Awareness Booth, which provided public awareness and health education to members of the public.

There they were given eye health educational material, and optometrists were able to answer their questions about glaucoma and other eye diseases.

Speaking with the Daily Chronicle was one of GPHC’s optometrists, Dr. Janelle Harry. She said that at the booth, the optometrists highlighted the causes of Glaucoma and how it is treated, among other key areas.

Additionally, she noted that they also gave out appointments for screening.

Dr. Harry pointed out that because of the wide spread of health facilities around the country, cases of glaucoma are caught in the early stages, allowing patients to receive the eye health care they need.

“So, we’re not having persons actually waiting until years upon years, like maybe ten years, without an eye test,” the doctor expressed.

Alongside this, she said they host outreaches where they try to go to each region to bring awareness to these diseases.

Ophthalmologist Consultant at the GPHC, Dr. Damonien Lamy Badette stated that the hospital offers comprehensive eye tests for all of its patients. This includes a measured eye pressure test.

She related that one of the main concepts of glaucoma is that it is a chronic problem. By definition, glaucoma refers to a collection of eye problems that damage the optic nerve, typically as a result of elevated intraocular pressure (IOP). It is termed as the silent thief of sight, owing to its subtle nature, where symptoms arrive after significant vision loss.

“That’s why we always advise anybody that we encounter, we ask that question, ‘Do you have anybody that blood related to you that had a diagnosis of glaucoma?’ Then we advise them, please remind them, you know, or ask them, please come.”

She said further that patients will not know they have glaucoma until they are tested as there are no signs. “So, you need to come forward for glaucoma screening. As we age also, there’s a risk also to develop glaucoma, and as a young person, if you have a trauma, you know, injury to your eyes, you can also make you at risk for glaucoma too,” the doctor added.

The most modern piece of equipment offered to patients at the GPHC is the Optical Coherence Tomography (OTC) machine, a non-invasive imaging tool used by ophthalmologists to create detailed, cross-sectional images of the retina and optic nerve, aiding in the early detection and diagnosis of various eye conditions.

At the GPHC Eye Clinic, all are welcome if they have a referral letter from their private doctor, a health centre, or another hospital they are a patient of. This letter can be taken to GPHC’s eye clinic between Monday and Friday at 8 am, and they will be seen.