Registration of ophthalmology offices and clinics for the 8th edition of the "Polish Ophthalmologists vs. Glaucoma" campaign has started. Registration of establishments lasts until March 1. This is a great opportunity to promote your offices.

"Polish Ophthalmologists vs. Glaucoma" is an initiative of the Polish Ophthalmological Society (PTO) and ophthalmologists from all over Poland to educate the public about what glaucoma is and to increase detection of the disease, thereby saving the sight of thousands of Poles. The PTO, the PTO Glaucoma Section and the Polish Association of the Blind invite ophthalmologists' offices and clinics to join the public campaign for free glaucoma screening from Sunday, March 10 to Saturday, March 16, which is during World Glaucoma Week.

- This is the eighth edition of the "Polish Ophthalmologists vs. Glaucoma" campaign. Our mission is to educate the Polish public about this insidious disease and encourage research. During the seven previous editions, we examined a total of more than 16,000 people from all over Poland. We referred as many as 30 percent for further diagnosis and treatment. Many of them, thanks to early diagnosis, we saved their eyesight. This is a great campaign, but it would not have been possible to help so many people if it were not for the involvement of so many experts, ophthalmologists, ophthalmology offices and clinics. - says Prof. Dr. Bozena Romanowska-Dixon, president of the Polish Ophthalmological Society.

- We thank you very much for this commitment and encourage you extremely strongly to participate in the campaign this year as well. We will do everything together so that Poles will take advantage of this extraordinary opportunity and come to the notified centers in March to have their eyes examined. - adds Prof. Ewa Mrukwa-Kominek, President-elect of the PTO.

How to join the action?

Ophthalmic offices that express a desire to participate in this year's campaign will receive a range of free educational materials, including informational posters and screening questionnaires.

This year's campaign runs from Sunday, March 10 to Saturday, March 16. Each office decides on which days and times it will conduct the tests.

Practices can register via www.tydzienjaskry.pl until March 1 at 11:59 p.m. Registration can be done by either a doctor or an administrative staff member - just fill out the application available at www.tydzienjaskry.pl/rejestracja-gabinetu, and after receiving electronic confirmation, send it back to [email protected].

Registered facilities will be on the list of participating offices at www.tydzienjaskry.pl/dla-pacjenta. The list will be announced on March 6 at 11 a.m. Interested patients will make an appointment by phone at the selected office.

Glaucoma - a disease of our time

Glaucoma is insidious, leading to irreversible blindness, but in most cases it produces no symptoms for a long time. According to the World Glaucoma Association, as many as 78 million people worldwide suffer from the disease, and by 2040 this number could rise to more than 111 million. It is estimated that in Poland it is 800,000 people, more than half of whom are still undiagnosed,
and thus unaware that they are slowly losing their sight.

- These numbers are the best proof that our campaign is extremely necessary, even indispensable! Last year, nearly 60 facilities from all over Poland offered more than 1,900 medical visits available to patients. We hope that this year, from March 10 to 6, there will be even more, and even more Poles will take advantage of the opportunity for glaucoma testing. We strongly encourage surgeries and clinics to join our campaign - only by joining forces together can we stop glaucoma! - concludes the Vice President of the PTO, Professor Iwona Grabska-Liberek , MD.

Prof. Jacek P. Szaflik, MD, chairman of the PTO Glaucoma Section adds: - Glaucoma does not sleep!
In the case of this disease, we cannot talk about prevention, but only about early diagnosis. Therefore, providing patients with free tests for early detection of glaucoma is a very important step in the fight against this insidious disease.

POLISH EYEGLASSICS CONTRA JASKRA March 10-16, 2024 Detailed information: tydzienjaskry.pl

Cabinet registration: tydzienjaskry.co.uk/cabinet-registration

***

World Glaucoma Week is an international initiative of the World Glaucoma Association. The aim of the campaign is to draw attention to glaucoma as a major cause of irreversible blindness and to the fact that only early diagnosis and early treatment can prevent vision deterioration. World Glaucoma Week is organized by well-known glaucoma experts and the leadership of the World Glaucoma Association, as well as patients who take up the topic of glaucoma in the media. World Glaucoma Week is celebrated every year in March.

https://www.worldglaucomaweek.org/