By Benedicta Konadu
The President of Ophthalmological Society of Ghana and Consultant Pediatrics Ophthalmologist at the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital (KBTH), Dr. Dzifa – Bella Ofori Adjei has reiterated that, the best management for Glaucoma is to do surgery.
Speaking on the GTV Breakfast Show, the Pediatric Ophthalmologist stated that, drugs can be used to manage Glaucoma, but it is not the best way to manage it.
“So, people use the medication for a while and then they stop for that for a period of time. When you stop for that time, the pressure goes up and it damages the nerve. Remember that the damage, I’d a progressive damage, it doesn’t happen at once. Itis a cumulative thing, it happens over a period of time so the few times you don’t use your drugs and you think you are getting away, those times the pressure goes up and it damages the optic nerve. However, when you treat it surgically, pressure is done forever, ok, you don’t have to worry or remember to put the drug in the eye, you don’t have to worry when you travel outside Accra”, she explained.
Dr. Ofori Adjei however advised Ghanaians to do surgery at the earliest stage of the disease to prevent any significant damage.
“Both people think that, surgery is only in advance disease, but actually surgery is better earlier on in the disease because at that point there is no damage as supposed to later on the disease when there is significant damage and what you are taking care of is what you are left with. Remember that, it is irreversible, whatever you’ve lost is gone. What your drug is doing is preserving the little vision that you have”, she added.
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