The ENTOD Eye Health Foundation recently wrapped up a successful glaucoma awareness campaign, aiming to spread an impactful message on glaucoma all across India from March 12th to March 20th, 2023. The foundation focused on spreading awareness among youth and people aged 40 years and above in various states/cities including Bihar, Jharkhand, Punjab, Kolkata, Kashmir and Mumbai.
The week-long initiative included a series of activities like 100+ Pre-OPD Eye checkup camps, 20+CMEs, Workshops, Glaucoma Walks, and various other glaucoma awareness activities. The campaign also saw the involvement of the famous Indian dancer and choreographer, Terence Lewis, who flagged off the campaign by launching a blindfold glaucoma dance challenge on social media with the hashtag #GlaucomaDanceChallenge.
The foundation also initiated a Glaucoma selfie challenge on Instagram with the hashtag #GetTestedForGlaucoma and #GlaucomaSelfieChallenge, which received an overwhelming response from the public. Twitter saw a huge trend in the hashtag #GetTestedForGlaucoma and was in the top 5 trends list the whole week from 12th to 20th March 2023. ENTOD Pharmaceuticals also joined hands with the ENTOD Eye Health Foundation to spread the message about getting regular eye tests to keep your eyes healthy.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), glaucoma is the second leading cause of blindness worldwide, with more than 4.5 million people suffering from blindness due to glaucoma. To spread awareness about this preventable disease, ENTOD Eye Health Foundation aimed to reach over 10 million people across the nation during the awareness campaign.
“Glaucoma is the leading cause of preventable irreversible blindness worldwide. It is also known as the ‘the Silent Thief of Sight’. It can take away your visibility gradually without you paying attention. Hence, it is important to get your eyes regularly tested in order to nip them in the bud. In India, millions of people suffer from Glaucoma. It is a misconception that issues like blindness or partial blindness cannot happen among the youth. This ‘World Glaucoma Week’ we collaborated with Terence Lewis, the famous Bollywood choreographer for a duet dance with a blindfold. Also, a selfie challenge with closed eyes to understand the importance of vision received great traction. Hashtags #GetTestedForGlaucoma and #GlaucomaSelfieChallenge were spread across Instagram and Twitter to increase the reach as much as possible. We wish the message spreads to the nook and corner of the country as well as across the globe,” said Mr. Nikkhil K Masurkar, CEO of ENTOD Pharmaceuticals.
Glaucoma is a set of eye diseases that gradually lessens vision, and if not paid attention in time, it can lead to critical scenarios. “High eye pressure is one of the main risk factors for developing glaucoma. Additionally, the incidence of the disease tends to increase with age, making it more common in individuals aged 40 years and older. Those with a family history of glaucoma, high myopia or a history of eye traumas are also at higher risk of developing the disease. Glaucoma is the leading cause of irreversible blindness worldwide, but early detection and treatment can prevent up to 90% of cases of glaucoma-related blindness. Regular ophthalmologic check-ups are crucial, especially for individuals who are at higher risk of developing the disease, to identify and treat it in its early stages and prevent vision loss,” said Dr. Satyajit Sin
