Daijiworld Media Network – Kolkata
Kolkata, Jul 7: Genetic screening has the potential to revolutionise the diagnosis and treatment of glaucoma, the leading cause of irreversible blindness in India, doctors and researchers said during a stakeholder consultation held in Kolkata on Saturday.
Glaucoma is a group of eye diseases that damage the optic nerve, which transmits visual information from the eye to the brain. Unlike cataracts, vision loss caused by glaucoma is irreversible, though early diagnosis and timely treatment can slow or prevent further deterioration.
Speaking on the sidelines of the programme at the Amartya Sen Research Centre in Salt Lake, Arijit Mukhopadhyay, professor of Precision Health at the University of Salford, UK, said glaucoma often remains undetected because it develops without noticeable symptoms in its early stages.
"Since glaucoma is largely asymptomatic at the beginning, a majority of the cases remain undiagnosed until the disease reaches an advanced stage. But glaucoma has a strong genetic component. It can occur due to mutations in DNA. Genetics offers us the opportunity to identify individuals at increased risk before vision is permanently lost. The future of glaucoma care lies in prediction, prevention and precision, not simply treatment after damage has occurred," he said.
The day-long consultation brought together clinicians, researchers, policymakers and public health experts to discuss integrating genetic screening into public healthcare systems for the prevention of hereditary glaucoma through early clinical intervention.
According to experts, glaucoma affects an estimated 12 million people in India, with nearly 5 per cent of patients eventually losing their vision completely.
Ophthalmologist Dr Asim Kumar Sil, a specialist in community eye health, said early identification of high-risk individuals through genetic screening could significantly reduce the burden of blindness.
"Glaucoma is a chronic, lifelong disease. Vision loss affects productivity, while the cost of treatment places an additional burden on families. For economically weaker sections, this becomes a double blow. Early detection through genetic screening is therefore crucial. Individuals identified as vulnerable should undergo eye examinations every three months. Even the slightest indication of glaucoma should be treated promptly with medication and, if necessary, surgery," he said.
The programme was organised as part of the Genetics-enabled Social Innovation for Glaucoma Health and Treatment (GENE-SIGHT) initiative, a collaborative project between the University of Salford and the Centre for Research in Policy Communication and Society, Kolkata.
Abhijit Roy, chairperson of the Centre for Research in Policy Communication and Society, stressed the need to make genetic testing more widely available.
"We aim to build a system that makes genetic testing affordable, accessible and integrated into mainstream healthcare. Government hospitals should have the necessary infrastructure. Stronger public-private partnerships, improved clinician education, reimbursement mechanisms and greater public awareness are essential to ensure genomic medicine is equitable and sustainable," he said.