In a startling revelation, Dr Winston Ceesay, top Ophthalmologist and CEO of the Sheikh Zayed Regional Eye Care Centre (SZRECC), has revealed that according to expert estimates, 22 million people would go blind due to glaucoma by 2040 – a decade and half from now.
This disclosure came amid heightened concerns with regard to eye care, as people face more and more eye issues despite the rigorous awareness campaigns over the years.
Dr Ceesay took the opportunity to make this revelation during a press conference on Thursday at the regional eye care centre in Kanifing. The press engagement was one of activities marking the World Glaucoma Week (March 10-16), observed in the second week of March, whose commemoration was first staged in 2010 by the World Glaucoma Patient Association and the World Glaucoma Association to enhance eye health globally. Specifically March 12 is the Glaucoma Day. This year’s theme is ‘Uniting for a Glaucoma-free World’.
While highlighting that the Glaucoma Week rallies communities and individuals in the fight against glaucoma, he pointed out: “In 2020, the number of people estimated to have glaucoma was 76 million and this is expected to increase to 95.5 million in 2030. In 2020, 3.6 million people globally were blind due to glaucoma and it caused 11% of all global blindness in adults aged 50 years and older.”
He then disclosed: “By the year 2040, it is estimated that there will be 22 million individuals worldwide who will go blind due to glaucoma.”
There are about 80 million people worldwide with glaucoma, according to the regional eye care centre CEO, who added that about half of the people suffering from it are not even aware.
“It appears to be highest among persons of African descent (ranging from 6.5% to 7.3%). Africa is one of the continents with substantial burden of glaucoma.”
While Africans and people of African descent are five times more likely to develop glaucoma and six times more likely to go blind from the disease, Mr Ceesay says: “Yet 90% of people of African descent do not know that they are living with the disease.
“In Africa, only 1 in 20 is aware that he or she is living with glaucoma. Often times, 50% of the people would have lost vision in one eye at presentation to the clinic.”
Meanwhile, while these disclosures bring shock, he did make expressions that brought hope, as he informed that the disease could be screened, diagnosed and treated within The Gambia.
He assured that Sheikh Zayed Regional Eye Care Centre has all the required equipment and the needed expertise to that end.
Meanwhile, he noted the challenges with regard to the centre’s equipment, some of which have been in use for a very long time, and whose parts are quite expensive. He calls on stakeholders and donors for assistance.
