CME Program on "Ocular Oncology"

A CME program was conducted at K. B. Haji Bachooali Eye Hospital on the 19^th of March. The CME was on the topic of ocular oncology. The CME was chaired by eminent speakers from Tata Memorial hospital and KBHB. Madam S.V. Kane Professor and HOD Cytopathology spoke to the residents who came from the various teaching colleges from Mumbai. She spoke on how to identify pathology slides which are frequent exam questions. The other speaker Dr B.Vidyashankar, HOD - Oculoplasty and ocular oncology from KBHB spoke on techniques of management of ocular cancers and masses and methods of lid reconstruction. He also conducted a quiz to find out the comprehension of the students of the topic which was very encouraging.

KBHB Eye Hospital is very cousious about the training and academic part of eye care. Every months third Saturday is reserved for CME Programs on various issus. These programs are certified by Maharashtra Medical Council, Mumbai, for credit hours.

Time to speak about, Glaucoma - “sneak thief of sight",

 

12th March 2011 was a 4th World Glaucoma Day, KBHB Eye Hospital observed Glaucoma Day on 13th March 2011. The global observance was launched on March 6, 2008, through the joint initiative of the World Glaucoma Association (WGA) and the World Glaucoma Patient Association (WGPA) to strengthen the awareness of the public and people at risk of glaucoma on its detection, prevention, and treatment. KBHB Eye Hospital along with Sightsavers under Mumbai Eye Care Campaign observed World Glaucoma Day 2011 by organising Free Eye Check up camp for the Mill workers from Century Mill at Worli in association with local Mandal called Dattu Gawankar Mitra Mandal. The Objective of the event was to create awareness among the people about Glaucoma and to screen the patients for glaucoma and other eye problems and provide services to the needy patinets. Hospital is providing free treatment to those who identified with glaucoma and other eye problems from the camp.

To know more about Glaucoma -  

Glaucoma is a group of eye diseases that cause progressive damage of the optic nerve at the point where it leaves the eye to carry visual information to the brain.

If left untreated, most types of glaucoma progress (without warning nor obvious symptoms to the patient) towards gradually worsening visual damage and may lead to blindness. Once incurred, visual damage is mostly irreversible, and this has led to glaucoma being described as the "silent blinding disease" or the "sneak thief of sight".



Normal Vision



Vision of Glaucoma patient



Glaucoma is the second most common cause of blindness worldwide. It is estimated that 4.5 million persons globally are blind due to glaucoma¹ and that this number will rise to 11.2 million by 2020². It is noteworthy that due to the silent progression of the disease - at least in its early stages - up to 50% of affected persons in the developed countries are not even aware of having glaucoma³. This number may rise to 90% in underdeveloped parts of the world.



There are several types of glaucoma. Some may occur as a complication of other visual disorders (the so-called "secondary" glaucomas) but the vast majority is "primary", i.e. they occur without a known cause. It was once believed that the cause of most or all glaucomas was high pressure within the eye (known as intraocular pressure - sometimes abbreviated as IOP). It is now established however, that even people without an abnormally high IOP may suffer from glaucoma. Intraocular pressure is considered therefore today as a "Risk Factor" for glaucoma, together with other factors such as racial ancestry, family history, high myopia and age.

Some forms of glaucoma may occur at birth ("congenital") or during infancy and childhood ("juvenile"); in most cases however, glaucoma appears after the 4^th decade of life, and its frequency increases with age. There is no clearly established difference in glaucoma incidence between men and women.



The most common types of adult-onset glaucoma are Primary Open Angle Glaucoma (POAG) - a form most frequently encountered in patients of Caucasian and African ancestry - and Angle-Closure Glaucoma (ACG), which is the more common in patients of Asian ancestry. Angle-Closure Glaucoma is often chronic, like POAG, but can sometimes be acute, in which case it usually presents as a very painful ocular condition leading to rapid vision loss.



There is no cure for glaucoma as yet, and vision loss is irreversible. However medication or surgery (traditional or laser) can halt or slow-down any further vision loss. Therefore early detection is essential to limiting visual impairment and preventing the progression towards severe visual handicap or blindness. Your eye-care professional can detect glaucoma in its early stages and advise you on the best course of action. (World Glaucoma Week)

Celebration of International Women Day 2011

Each year around the world, International Women's Day is celebrated on March 8. Hundreds of events occur not just on this day but thought March to mark the economic, political and social achievements of women. Organisations, govenments and women's groups around the world choose different themes ech year that reflect global and local gender issues.

Blindness is an increasing global health problem that afflicts approximately 50 million peoples two - thirds of whom are women, and ninety percent of whom live in poorer counteries. Of the people who are blind in the world today, 64% are femal. Women and girls do not access eye care services as often as men and boys.

Women need better access to eye care services. In many developing nations, eye care services for women are not on the health agenda. Health authorities in the national level need to recognize the existing gender differences in access to eye care services. This could be the first step to reducing the disparity in eye-care treatment for women.

Education and awareness about the causes of blindness must begin at the family level. Programs must be kick started at the district and community level as well. With respect to women, families and men folk must be educated about the significance of sight restoring operations / treatment for women, to help them get back their sight. Blind women cannot contribute to the well-being of the family with ease. Initially they will be tolerated and gradually find themselves becoming a liability to the family. With access to timely treatment women with impaired vision can bounce back and lead more fulfilling lives.

Nearly 90% of people who go blind are from the developing countries. The main causes of chronic blindness are glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy, cataract, trachoma, and age-related macular degeneration. Children could face problems in their vision due to deficiency of Vitamin A.

Refractive errors account for about 5 million people with impaired vision. Many of them continue to suffer low vision as they are unable to afford spectacles. These can be remedied with timely optical correction.

International Women Day, which observed on March 8^th, 2011, seeks to be an 'eye-opener' of sorts with its theme 'Gender and Eye Health' to ensure gender equality in the access of eye care services, which is unfortunately not the case in the world today. There is also a need to step up focus on visual impairment, blindness and rehabilitation of victims in the light of community. As prime responsibility of focusing on eye care KBHB Eye Hospital is observing this women day by organising special Eye Check Up and awareness camp for women working in unorganised sector. The program was organised in association with SALAH organisation at Bhandup (E). In this program Standard Charted Bank volunteers worked very hard for the success of the program. 

Performance of the Camp -

Total no. of patients Screened and Examined            - 155

Total no. of Spectacles disbursed                                 -  75

Total no. of patients referred for the further treatment  - 35
Total no. of patients identified with Cataract surgery    - 20
Total no. of patients found normal during the camp      - 25

Community Outreach Department - Reaching to the Patients Door

The primary purpose of the outreach is to identify patients’ of curable blindness. The outreach program focuses mainly on making eye care facilities accessible to  

many poor patients as well as overall who cannot afford eye care due to their small

budgets. It also focuses on making eye care facilities available for isolated communities, who suffer because of poor

infrastructure, and a low-density population cause lack of eye awareness and facilities.

“Outreach’ should be defined as the provision of a specialized service to a location outside the normal service catchments area of the Hospital.”

The Outreach programs are conducted to identify potential patients requiring surgical treatment.  Diagnostic camps held at various locations in and around Mumbai, enables the Hospital to motivate, persuade, and influence these patients to undergo necessary eye treatment which otherwise would have eluded them.

The screening eye camps are organized for Pediatric as well as for adults. Patients detected in the camps are treated free of cost in the base hospital.

Need of Outreach Dept -

  

•  LACK OF AWARENESS

•  LACK OF INFORMATION

•  LACK OF SERVICES & ACCESSABILITY

•  LACK OF MONEY - FINANCE

•  NO ONE TO ACCOMPANY THEM AT HOSPITAL

To fullfil these problem KBHB Eye Hospital established Community Outreach Dept in 1997. This one of the important milestone of the hospital.

Dept have different Projects and Activities -

1. General Community Outreach Dept -
2. Pediatric Outreach Dept
3. Mumbai Eye Care Campaign
4. Low Vision Project
5. Glaucoma Outreach Project
6. Diabetic Retinopathy Project
7. Training Programs for Teachers, Social Workers, Doctors, paramedics, health worker etc.
8. Awareness program on eye care by using various modes like street plays, poster exhibition etc
9. Resource center of eye health
10. Referral center for the NGOs, Schools, Hospitals etc

Through these activities hospital is providing eye care services to more than 3 lakh patients from Mumbai, and over all Maharashtra