15 percent of Lankan children shortsighted

About 15 percent of Lankan schoolchildren suffer from nearsightedness, consultant ophthalmologist at the Lady Ridgeway Children’s Hospital, Dr. Hiranya Gunasekara has said.

Addressing an event at the National Eye Hospital on the occasion of World Sight Day, Dr. Gunasekera said on Thursday (12) if one of the parents of an individual has glaucoma, he or she was five times more likely to get the disease than others.

“If you have a sibling with glaucoma, you are nine times more likely to get the disease. By 40, you must have your eyes tested if you have symptoms of glaucoma. People with myopia are more likely to get glaucoma,” he said.