Genetic screening has the potential to transform the diagnosis and treatment of glaucoma, the leading cause of irreversible blindness in India, doctors and researchers said at a programme in the city on Saturday.
Glaucoma is a group of eye diseases that damage the optic nerve, which carries visual information from the eye to the brain. Unlike cataracts, the vision loss caused by glaucoma cannot be reversed. However, early diagnosis and timely treatment can slow or halt the progression of the disease.
“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 to it. It can occur due to a mutation in the 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,” said Arijit Mukhopadhyay, professor of precision health at the University of Salford, UK.
He spoke with Metro on the sidelines of a “stakeholder consultation” at the Amartya Sen Research Centre in Salt Lake, where he delivered the keynote address.
The daylong meeting brought together clinicians, researchers, policymakers, and public health practitioners to examine the integration of genetic screening into public health systems for the prevention of hereditary glaucoma through early clinical interventions.
Glaucoma affects an estimated 12 million people in India. Doctors said around 5% of those affected end up losing their vision completely.
“Glaucoma is a chronic, lifelong disease. The loss of vision diminishes productivity. The cost of treatment is an additional burden on patient families. For economically weaker sections, it is a pincer attack. That is where early detection through genetic screening becomes crucial. Those identified as vulnerable after a genetic screening should have their eyes checked once every three months. The slightest hint of the disease’s onset warrants medical intervention, starting with drugs and, if those fail, surgery,” said Asim Kumar Sil, an ophthalmologist who specialises in community eye health.
Saturday’s programme was part of a campaign called Genetics-enabled Social Innovation for Glaucoma Health and Treatment (GENE-SIGHT). It is a collaboration between the University of Salford and the Centre for Research in Policy Communication and Society, Calcutta.
Abhijit Roy, chairperson of the centre, said interdisciplinary dialogue is essential for translating scientific innovation into public benefit.
“We aim to enable a system that makes genetic tests affordable, accessible and integrated into mainstream healthcare. Government hospitals must have that infrastructure. We need stronger public-private partnerships, improved clinician education, reimbursement mechanisms and greater public awareness to make genomic medicine equitable and sustainable,” he said.