Qatar is celebrating a successful milestone in its effort to meet global targets to eliminate avoidable blindness by 2020 with a raft of awareness raising events across the country to mark World Sight Day today.
In Qatar the most common cause of low vision is cataract which accounts for 41% of all diagnoses, followed by glaucoma (16%), diabetic retinopathy (14%) and corneal pathology (10%), according to data gathered in a 2002 survey carried out by the Hamad General Hospital.
Since Qatar signed up to the Vision 2020 campaign when it was launched in 2000 a raft of measures has been introduced to detect and treat these common eye problems in line with the campaign’s message that 80% of all blindness can be prevented.
As a result up to 85% of diabetic patients are screened every year for diabetic retinopathy and all those over the age of 45 are targeted every two years for a glaucoma test and all those over 50 are checked annually – which has led to 65% of this group being tested for glaucoma.
“We have done very well over the last 10 years at introducing a number of screening programmes to pick up sight problems before they become a problem and lead to blindness,” said Dr Badria al-Malki, manager of the Community Eye Care Unit, Primary Health Care Doha.
“However, we are aiming to get 100% of our target populations tested, diagnosed and treated and that is why we need to continue to raise public awareness as we countdown to 2020,” she stated.
As part of this year’s World Sight Day campaign the public are being invited to have a free eye checkup at a special event being held at the Villaggio Mall today and tomorrow from 4-10pm. Those who are found to have poor near vision will be issued with free pre-glasses.
Health centres and schools across the country will issue brochures, DVDs and host lectures about all eye diseases for adults and children.
An art competition will also be run in schools on the topic of “Eye Health’ and prizes will be awarded to the winners.
“It is important to target youngsters with this campaign as if we educate people at an early age then they will hopefully adjust their behaviour to prevent these eye conditions from developing, and will be able to spot the signs and symptoms of disease so early diagnosis and treatment can be initiated,” added Dr al-Malki.
Vision 2020 is run jointly by the World Health Organisation and the International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness with an international membership of non-governmental organisations, professional associations, eye care institutions and corporations.
The Qatar Social and Cultural Centre for blind announced its White Cane National Day celebration programme yesterday.
The Centre’s chairman Ibrahim al-Kuwari said that a march is to be organised tomorrow evening on the Corniche.
“The march will start at the Balhambar restaurant and conclude at the Heritage Village”, he stated.
Gulf Times