\\\'Awareness, early diagnosis can prevent childhood blindness\\\'

Experts at a workshop opined that awareness, early diagnosis and proper treatment could prevent childhood blindness and save eyesight of thousands of children, reports UNB.
The suggestion came from an orientation workshop on Childhood Blindness organised for journalists Saturday at the National Press Club.
Orbis International and Bangladesh Nari Sangbadik Kendra jointly organised the workshop under the National Childhood Blindness Reduction Program of Orbis and National Eye Care.
Experts said childhood blindness and visual impairment are significant public health issues in Bangladesh.
Quoting World Health Organization (WHO) global estimate of childhood blindness, they said 0.75 per 1000 children have been suffering from blindness in Bangladesh.
They said blindness of 16000 children, out of total 48000 children, was preventable.
The experts said approximately 1.3 million more children have refractive errors and around 153,600 poor vision problem, of which about 78,336 cases were avoidable.
Orbis International Country Director for Bangladesh Dr Munir Ahmed said early detection of the problem, proper treatment and the follow-up care can prevent some blindness or restore the eyesight of the children.
Prof Enayet Hussain, Head of Pediatric Ophthalmology, the National Institute of Ophthalmology and Hospital (NIO&H) and Programme Manager, National Eye Care, was the key speaker at the programme.