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"Eye defects can be detected immediately after birth"

Staff Reporter

Emphasis on regular checking of eye pressure

GREETING AN EXPERT: Adolfo Guemes, associate professor of ophthalmology, Universidad del Salvador, Argentina, being greeted by T.S. Surendran, vice chairman of Sankara Nethralaya. — PHOTO: K.V. SRINIVASAN

CHENNAI: The fourth annual Nagamani Dharmapuri lecture held by Sankara Nethralaya, a unit of Medical Research Foundation, dealt with clinical and surgical management of congenital cataracts. Adolfo Guemes, associate professor of ophthalmology at the School of Medicine, Universidad del Salvador, Argentina, spoke on early detection and treatment methods for cataract. His presentation included several case studies where children with progressive and acute cataract were identified and treated.

Dr. Guemes said doctors could detect eye defects almost immediately after birth. Sometimes children were not born with developed but progressive cataract, requiring early detection. He said doctors should check eye pressure regularly since cataract and glaucoma could occur simultaneously.

Congenital eye defects could be due to Rubella, common even in Argentina and the Philippines. As children do not complain about eye defects, parents must take their children for a check-up. Now the tendency is to place intraocular lenses before two years of age, said Dr. Guemes. However, he would advise using contact lenses until the child turned two. T.S. Surendran, vice-chairman of Sankara Nethralaya, said the paediatric department had treated 21,354 outpatients last year. Of the 2,472 surgeries performed, 354 were free.

Mohan Raj, director of Government Ophthalmic Hospital, said the 180-year-old Regional Institute of Ophthalmology sees 500 patients every day and 500 surgeries are performed every month.

V. Narayanan, chairman of Kanchi Kamakoti CHILDS Trust Hospital, also felicitated Sankara Nethralaya.

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