Decrease in eye diseases in Pakistan, vision rate improved, survey

Dr Abdul Waheed Mastoi
A recent survey has shown that eye diseases have reduced dramatically across Pakistan and vision rates among the elderly have also improved significantly.
This was known from the preliminary results of the third national vision survey conducted by the Federal Ministry of Health along with various organizations working on eye diseases.
A ceremony was held at a private hotel in Islamabad to announce the results of the 3rd National Vision Survey, in which the Secretary Health, Director General (DG) Health, other senior officials and ophthalmologists spoke.
Stating the results of the survey, it was said that the vision rate has improved by 5% in the last 16 years across the country and now the rate of vision loss among the elderly is less than 2.5%.
During the survey, a total of 44 thousand 800 people from all four provinces of the country, Gilgit-Baltistan and 16 districts of Azad Kashmir were evaluated.
All the people in the survey were aged 50 years or above and the volunteers included men and women.
During the survey, apart from conducting various tests of the volunteers, they were asked questions and answers, after which the results of the survey were drawn.
The results of the survey showed that compared to 2004, the rate of vision among people aged 50 years and older across the country has improved to 2.2 percent, which means that the rate is less than 2.5 percent in 2004. In this rate was up to 7 percent.
The survey also found that women surprisingly had better vision rates with less eye complaints or eye complaints.
According to the survey, the rate of sight loss in men was found to be higher than that of women and the rate was 7.2 percent, while the rate of sight loss in women was less than two percent.
In a statement issued by the Ministry of Health, it was stated that there has been a significant reduction in cataracts, cataracts, glaucoma and other diseases including corneal diseases across the country.
The survey revealed that at present there are approximately 5 lakh elderly people in the country who are completely blind, while the number of such people was 1.5 lakh in 2004.
The report said that at present, approximately 9 million people across the country are suffering from eye problems, but they are not blind, but they definitely have problems with their eyes.
Ophthalmologists have hailed the results of the third National Vision Survey as encouraging.