Lanka eyes to prevent blindness by 2020

Nadira GUNATILLEKE

A five year project will be implemented by Vision 2020 Secretariat to prevent all types of preventable blindness by 2020, Health Ministry Additional Secretary Dr Palitha Mahipala said.

He said a five year project has been implemented at a cost of Rs 150 million targeting low income families in Colombo and Kandy districts under Vision 2020 program.

The number of blind persons in Sri Lanka is 150,000. The number who had become blind due to cataract is 100,000.

Refractive errors in the eye had caused blindness in 18,000 persons. Around 160, 000 schoolchildren suffer from some sort of eye problem, Dr Mahipala said.

Dr Mahipala said that 15,000 persons had become blind due to Glaucoma and another 6,000 had become blind due to diabetes. The number of persons who became blind due to old age is 11,000.

Around 400,000 suffer from the condition called low vision. The majority of the blind are poor and most are females. But when comparing with the past there is a significant improvement in eye care facilities in the country, he said.

According to Dr Mahipala the first ever eye care unit established especially for children is operating from the Lady Ridgway Hospital, Colombo. ”Even an infant born in the 26th week can be saved now using the modern medical facilities available at the hospital.

The unit set up at the National eye Hospital, Colombo produce around 40 pairs of spectacles per day. Those spectacles are distributed free among the needy. A similar unit will be set up at the Kandy Teaching Hospital soon.