Focus on glaucoma at Chapelfield this week

As part of World Glaucoma Week, staff from the Glaucoma Research Unit at the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital will be at Chapelfield on Friday 16th March from 9am to 7pm.

The event is designed to raise awareness of glaucoma, one of the most common eye disorders. The public will be able to get information on this potentially serious eye condition, the importance of medication and the correct way to administer eye drops.

Glaucoma is a disease of the optic nerve, located at the back of the eye and working like a connection cable between the eye and the brain. Progressive damage to the nerve prevents the visual signal from being processed in the brain. The loss of vision caused by glaucoma is permanent, but with early treatment, the damage to vision can be minimised. For most glaucoma patients, the main effect of the condition is the inconvenience of taking eye drops.

Heidi Cate, Research Unit Manager at the NNUH said “Regular eye checks with your high street optician are the best way to detect glaucoma. Once you are diagnosed, it is important to use the prescribed eye drops regularly and we can advise on the best way to administer the drops.”

“At NNUH we are carrying out important research into glaucoma in partnership with the University of East Anglia which will benefit patients in the future. We are hoping to understand how we can better support those glaucoma patients who find it difficult to use their drops regularly as clinicians understand that this is no easy task! Anyone who would like advice or support with any aspect of their glaucoma treatment can speak to us at Chapelfield.”

Chapelfield’s general manager Davina Tanner said: “”The whole Chapelfield team has been really pleased with the positive feedback received from our shoppers about the friendly and helpful advice given by the nurses from the hospital.”

This is the third in the series of health promotional events being run in partnership between Chapelfield and the NNUH, to bring health information and advice to local people. Over the next few months, there will be other health events at Chapelfield covering mental health, skin conditions and diabetes.