The Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation’s Department of Ophthalmology partnered with Optique Vision Care to present a Glaucoma Continuing Medical Education (CME) Symposium on Sunday.
The event at the Herdmanston Lodge saw the participation of a group of medical practitioners as a part of the activities to commemorate World Glaucoma Week, 2017.
Organisers and presenters at the Glaucoma CME Symposium
The GPHC has been invested in the World Glaucoma Week campaign with a track record of organising activities to commemorate the international initiative. This year, the hospital hosted two signature events, the first being free Public Glaucoma Screening Sessions, which lasted throughout the week of March 14-17 and provided vision testing, eye pressure testing and examination of the eye nerve for more than 50 patients each day.
The second, the CME Symposium was sponsored by Optique Vision Care to provide an opportunity for medical practitioners, especially those in the field of optometry to discuss and assess methods of diagnosis, prognosis and treatment for patients with glaucoma.
The World Glaucoma Week campaign was chosen by the GPHC and Optique Vision Care because many continue to suffer from undiagnosed glaucoma. This is known as “invisible” glaucoma because the disease acts silently by causing damage to the optic nerve (the nerve of the eye which enables vision) without the patient having any notable symptoms. Over the years, this damage continues unknown to the patient, until almost the entire nerve is destroyed. This nerve damage (called glaucomatous optic neuropathy) is permanent and cannot be reversed. By the time the patient begins to experience visual symptoms, the nerve damage would have already been significant. Hence, the need for early screening for the disease followed by treatment to avoid complete blindness.
The event provided the opportunity for discussions and presentations regarding the early detection and treatment of glaucoma. The practitioners presented various case studies of patients they have treated and shared vital information relating to advanced methods and technology which have been adopted in diagnosis and treatment of the disease in Guyana and across the world. At the forefront were Ophthalmologists, Optometrists and nurses attached to both the GPHC and Optique Vision Care. The event was aimed at improving the services offered here in Guyana by adopting new and improved strategies to assist patients with glaucoma.
The GPHC’s Department of Ophthalmology offers services for diagnosing and treating glaucoma. The hospital offers daily eye clinics on weekdays where patients can be given eye examinations for the detection of glaucoma. Optique Vision Care also provides comprehensive eye care services locally, offering eye examinations and glaucoma and visual field assessment by qualified health professionals.
