Ministry conducts eye screening on World Glaucoma Day |13 March 2013

Many patients with eye problems turned up at the health centre to have their eyes tested by specialist Roland Barbe and his team of nurses from the ophthalmologist unit.
Glaucoma is high pressure in the eye, a condition which Dr Barbe says affects the optic nerve and, if left untreated, can lead to irreversible blindness.

There are few symptoms and when vision is affected it is often too late.
Dr Barbe told Seychelles Nation that prevalence is relatively high in Seychelles, with some 800 patients.

Patients suspected of developing glaucoma are referred to the eye clinic at the Seychelles Hospital for advanced tests and treatment.
The Nation reporter subjected himself to the preliminary tests at the Beau Vallon health centre.

An occlude is used to mask an eye and try and read with the other. This is followed by the pin-hole, which means reading through small gaps. An automated tonometre measures the tension in the eyes.

The ultimate test is the ophthalmoscope which magnifies the eye structure and our reporter was found to need long range glasses, in addition to his reading ones -- but was found free from glaucoma, for the time being at least.