Glaucoma Screening Outreach Programme

Saturday, February 8th, 2025

Wowzers, new year, new outreach program.

Collaborating with our homegrown Health Outreach Program & Education (HOPE) team, our department organised a one-day general health & glaucoma screening in conjunction with World Glaucoma Week.

[nos amis of whom without would not be able to make this event a reality. 

jokes, the true MVP would be the sponsors]

Masjid Ar-Rahah Kerinchi was graced by the presence of approximately 180 attendees - 150 of which were eligible for an additional glaucoma screening. Various parameters were checked and if they’re over 40 years old or have a family history of glaucoma, they’ll then be guided over to the eye screening. In return, they’ll get goodie bags.

[I’m here only for the goodies – said no one ever]

Interesting fundoscopic findings had definitely caught our eyes (no pun intended) and necessary counselling +/- referrals were made. And boy weren’t our attendees shocked to find out they have ocular pathologies but fret not friends, our eye clinic is less than 5 km away (from the mosque, that is).

[“as you can see, my dear medical students, this patient indeed has two eyeballs which explains the two fundus photos”]

All in all, time spent on a Saturday was worth every second, helping to spread awareness of sight-threatening glaucoma. 

Monday - Friday, March 10th – 14th, 2025

As time beckons, Part 2 of the World Glaucoma Week hath arrived (really if at this point you have no idea what Glaucoma is, there is some catching up to do).

One Medical Laboratory Technologist manning the fundus camera.

One Medical Officer manning the Puff Tonometer.

One Medical Officer consulting the patients.

- and we saw a whopping 368 attendees

Now if these numbers bring you joy, then you are likely Vitamin D deficient and perhaps need to get out more. Go on, make some friends.

[us bracing before the incoming stampede]

[and us telling ourselves to calm down due to the sheer number of attendees]

The Puff Tonometer was an absolute crowd-pleaser – attendees were entertained yet shocked for their lives at the same time. Fun fact: you could also sense their fear through their ever-so-pulsating pupils. We had a couple of dramatic reactions, but this is probably not a platform to talk about them. 

[That's the machine that shot me in the eye!]

[No sir, that's just the fundus camera]

[The-pupil-destroyer-A2000 a.k.a. THE Puff Tonometer]

The attendees were thrilled to have their eyes screened although we could only accept those who are not known to our Eye Clinic (would defeat the purpose of organising a screening event otherwise). Nonetheless, those who stayed ended up purchasing our fancy schmancy World Glaucoma Week Charity Run jersey and all of these proceeds went to, well, charity.

All in all, the team had fun, attendees had fun, Medical Officers manning the screening clinic probably didn’t as much as we did as some of our new referrals may or may not have reached them.

Till then!

Written by,

Haris Ahmad