Childhood Cataract: How to tackle?

Pediatric Ophthalmic Experts Raise Awareness on Childhood Eye Problems at L V Prasad Eye Institute

Hyderabad, 13^th November, 2016: “Good Eye Sight – Every Child’s Right” is the theme for Children’s Eye Care Week at L V Prasad Eye Institute (LVPEI) this year. On the occasion of Children’s Day on November 14th, and as part of Children’s Eye Care Week (November 7-14), LVPEI is organizing a number of activities to raise awareness on children’s eye health.

It has been estimated that as much as 80% of the learning in a child occurs through his or her eyes. A child’s eyes are constantly in use in the classroom and at play. The most common vision problem is nearsightedness or myopia. However, some children have other forms of refractive errors like farsightedness and astigmatism. In addition, the prevalence of eye focusing, eye tracking and eye coordination problems may also hinder a child’s behavioural development.

In order to sensitize the public regarding children’s eye health, LVPEI is organizing a ‘Children’s Eye Health Walk’ on Sunday, 13th November. Around 100 students from Richmond’s High School participated in this walk. In addition, large number of doctors and people joined in the walk, which started from the institute campus.

Dr Ramesh Kekunnaya, Head, Child Sight Institute & Jasti V Ramanamma Children’s Eye Care Centre, L V Prasad Eye Institute, said “Every minute one child goes blind in the world, if we save them we save 33 working years of that person. Two-third of the child blindness is preventable with very early detection, therefore every new born should get eye screening which is very important, or within the first year of birth eye screening should be done. Also eye screening should be made mandatory at the time of school admission, these measures can bring down the incidence rate. Paediatric Cataract is the theme of today’s walk, 10 to 15 children of every 10000 live births are born with cataract, it’s very important that they are treated surgically and for that early detection is crucial. We, at LVPEI, understand this and focus on involving a large team to create awareness about the multiple eye problems and also to educate parents. Cataract can also be seen in children which needs special skills and care. Early detection and treatment mostly in the form of surgery is crucial. Every parent is as much responsible for getting new born eye screening done.”

An interactive session on 14th November, is meant for little patients and their families to discuss some common childhood eye problems, the importance of diagnosing these problems early and their management. We have invited many children who underwent cataract surgery along with their parents. In this flatform many of the questions related to after care of these childen who had surgery. In addition, our Children’s Rehabilitation team will interact with parents of visually challenged and specially-abled children.

About L V Prasad Eye Institute

L V Prasad Eye Institute (LVPEI) was established in 1987 at Hyderabad as a not-for-profit, non-government, public-spirited, comprehensive eye care institution. LVPEI is governed by two trusts: the Hyderabad Eye Institute and the Hyderabad Eye Research Foundation. The Institute is a World Health Organization Collaborating Centre for Prevention of Blindness and a Global Resource Center for VISION 2020: The Right to Sight initiative. LVPEI has six active arms to its areas of operations: Clinical Services, Education, Research, Rehabilitation and Sight Enhancement Services, Eye Bank, and Public Health and Rural Outreach. For more information, visit www.lvpei.org

The Jasti V Ramanamma Children’s Eye Care Centre was established in 1997. The first of its kind in India, this centre has state-of-the-art facilities for integrated management of all eye diseases that afflict children. The centre offers excellent diagnostic facilities including examination of children under anesthesia and the evaluation and management of children with partial or total visual impairment.

The Children’s Eye Care Centre actively collaborates in the areas of research and education with other institutions in India and abroad. The centre has established an interdisciplinary approach to comprehensive management of pediatric eye diseases. It also trains ophthalmologists from all over the world.