Amasaman (GAR), Oct. 30, GNA - Residents of Amasaman in the Greater Accra Region, on Saturday received free eye screening as part of Ghana Health Service monthly health promotion exercise. The exercise was aimed at educating and sensitizing the residents on the dangers of eye diseases and to bring optical service to the door steps of the less privileged in the area. Mrs Victoria Dankyi, Senior Nursing Office, Ga West Municipal Hospital, said due to hazardous activities in the community, most residents face eye related diseases.

She said sand winning and stone quarrying were the major commercial activity in the community that endangers the eye ignorantly. She said the exercise would go a long way to help them to detect eye problems of residents and provide the needed treatment if possible. Mrs Dankyi said the eye is a very delicate part of the body and washing of the face at least five times a day, together with eating lots of fruits and vegetables, could help to keep it strong.

She said "we do not live in an environmental friendly area and so it is important for one to attend regular eye check-up at least twice every year, to be able to detect any eye disease early" Ms Dankyi said glaucoma was one of the major causes of blindness in the world today after cataract, and that 15 per cent of blind cases could be prevented and 20 per cent partially treatable. She advised children not to fight or play with sticks, rubber bands, stones, catapults and sharp objects since such objects could damage the eye.

Ms Dankyi urged adults, who work at dangerous places such as the stone quarry; sand winning sites, and other harmful places to wear protective glasses to prevent their eyes from being harmed. She called on government, associations and organisations to assist the community with various eye testing equipment as well as medical officers to help to reduce the level of eye defects in communities. Glaucoma exists when the intra ocular pressure has been raised over a period causing damage to the optic nerve with corresponding loss of visual function. Untreated glaucoma results in blindness because of the irreversible damage it causes. 30 Oct. 10