Rising Blindness Among Women in Pakistan: Half A Million Affected
— June 27, 2024
ISLAMABAD (AIA) The prevalence of blindness and vision impairment is higher in females than males, with almost half a million women in Pakistan currently suffering from these conditions, said Brig. (R) Prof. Dr. Sabihuddin, Head of the Cataract Department at Al-Shifa Trust Eye Hospital, on Thursday.
At a ceremony celebrating June as Cataract Awareness Month, Dr. Sabihuddin shared that the Al Shifa Trust (AST) annually performs 52 thousand surgeries free of charge.
He noted that there are around 2.2 billion blind or visually impaired people worldwide, and the complication may have been prevented in at least 1 billion of these cases. Vision impairment is four times more prevalent in low- and middle-income ranges compared to high-income areas. According to World Health Organisation (WHO) estimates, vision impairment leads to an annual global productivity loss of $411 billion, posing a significant financial burden.
Dr. Sabihuddin urged the government to set up more facilities to deal with the influx of eye patients. He pointed out that with the rising population and an increase in the average age, the number of cataract patients in Pakistan is growing, and many women suffering from blindness lack access to adequate eye facilities.
According to Dr. Sabihuddin, Pakistan ranks among the top countries with a high number of diabetes patients, resulting in a high rate of eye disease. He explained that while cataracts are age-related and cannot be controlled, the government should strengthen the eye care departments in all state-run hospitals, including those at the district level.
He mentioned that AST performs almost 100 to 120 surgeries daily and is equipped with 30 air-conditioned operation theatres, 25 expert doctors, six anaesthetists, and state-of-the-art diagnostic facilities.
Dr. Sabihuddin also stated that their outreach programme frequently organises surgical camps in remote areas, conducting almost 100 surgeries daily. “We have the best facilities and expert doctors to treat the complicated cases,” he said, adding that ophthalmology and cataract surgery are the largest departments of the hospital, providing specialised care to patients with various conditions.
He emphasised that AST hospitals in Sukkur, Kohat, Muzaffarabad, and Chakwal are performing 52,000 cataract surgeries annually free of charge. The Cataract Department has completed one million surgeries since its founding, he added.