Lahore: Post Graduate Medical Institute Principal Prof. Dr. Sardar Muhammad Al-freed Zafar, has said that in order to be safe from eye complications, one has to get rid of diabetes, blood pressure and other diseases. Medical field has developed so much that modern eye surgeries including cataracts are being performed while the eyes of children suffering from cancer are also being successfully treated at the General Hospital and it is the only Government treatment center in the country where this facility is available. These views were expressed by Principal AMC Prof. Al-freed Zafar while talking in a walk organized on the occasion of Eye Disease Awareness Week for Black Cataract.
He said that timely diagnosis of other eye diseases including advanced glaucoma surgery is very important and for its treatment, highly professional doctors and modern facilities are available in the Ophthalmology Department of LGH while in the outdoor hospital of this hospital also a large number of patients are treated. Prof. Al-freed Zafar appreciated the services of Prof. Muhammad Moin, Prof. Hussain Ahmad Khaqan and Prof. Samina Jahangir in introducing better care and modern techniques to the visually impaired. Prof. Muhammad Moin HoD of Opthomology, Prof. Hussain Ahmad Khaqan, Prof. Samina Jahangir, Dr. Zubair Saleem, Dr. Abdul Razaq, Dr. Lubna Siddique, Dr. Urooj Amjad, Dr. Ali Haider, Kaneez Fatima, Nabeela Nazir, Zohra Ambreen, Misbah Tariq, Jaweria Khanim and other nurses and paramedical staff were also present on the occasion. Awareness and treatment slogans were written on the banners which were especially for black cataracts.
Prof. Muhammad Moin and other Eye Specialists said that 7.5 million people worldwide suffer from visual impairments while the number in Pakistan is around 1.5 million and if steps are not taken for timely treatment and diagnosis, by 2040 this number will reach 10 million. Cataracts are the enemy of human life and thousands of people lose their sight every year due to this disease, he added. He further said that Black cataracts are an easy target for diabetics and high blood pressure patients. Eye size of children when they grow up, they can easily get this disease also. Medical experts said that diabetes and blood pressure are common in our country, so to avoid eye diseases and to protect our eyes, these diseases must be avoided. “Although advances in medical science have made it possible to treat and operate on cataracts, surgery is not possible if the disease is not diagnosed at an early stage and has become chronic,” he said. Prof. Hussain Ahmad Khaqan and Prof. Samin Jahangir termed cataracts as the enemy of eyesight and said that the nerves that transmit information to the brain through blindness stop working and one cannot perform its daily life.
Principal PGMI Prof. Al-freed Zafar while talking to the media said that a person who is deprived of the light of the eyes is away from the beauty and the universe as well as becomes financially incapable which is not only an economic responsibility on his own family but he also become dependent on his family. He further said that such patients in the country and the nation are not able to participate in development and commercial activities, so we should pay as much attention to the eyes as we pay attention to our heart disease and diabetes. In this regard, it is important that society and individuals raise awareness and launch full-fledged campaign so that if a person starts having eye problems, instead of ignoring he should consult a qualified doctor from the beginning so that the problem can be rectified immediately so that the eyes can avoid major disease and perform normally.
