It is estimated that about 5 percent of the Sri Lankan population has been affected by glaucoma, according to Dr. Palitha Mahipala, Secretary of the Ministry of Health.
He says that there is a certain increase in the number of victims of this disease in this country as well as the number of people suffering from glaucoma worldwide.
“Glaucoma is one of the main causes of blindness both in the world and in Sri Lanka. If you say how many percent are there in the world, it is 3.54%. But there are nearly 5% in Sri Lanka. One of the reasons for this could be the increase in our elderly population. Therefore, it is estimated that almost 5% of our country is suffering from this disease. Therefore, it is very important to refer for eye examination. In principle, programs have been prepared to prevent eye disorders in our country by early detection and preventable disorders.”