Ministry of Health: Early Detection of Retinopathy Limits Its Complications - Sarmad

On Monday, Health Minister Dr. Ahmed Al-Awadi inaugurated World Sight Day at Jabir Al-Ahmad Hospital, with the aim of raising public awareness about the importance of prevention through early screening.

Speaking to the Kuwait News Agency (KUNA) on this occasion, Hospital Director Dr. Nada Al-Hasan emphasized the hospital’s commitment to keeping pace with and organizing screening programs for early detection of the most common diseases among citizens, based on the principle that “prevention is better than cure” and to alleviate the treatment burden and health complications.

Dr. Al-Hasan explained that, in observance of World Sight Day, the hospital organized this comprehensive awareness and specialized event, which included eye vision, intraocular pressure, and fundus examinations supervised by specialized medical staff from the Ophthalmology Department under the leadership of Dr. Ahmed Al-Fudairi. The event aimed to highlight eye health and the importance of early detection of vision problems.

She noted that the hospital is hosting a schedule full of awareness and educational activities throughout the current week, including an early detection event for breast cancer on Wednesday, an event for World Rheumatism Day on Thursday, as well as other activities focused on psoriasis. Dr. Al-Hasan stressed that the role of the health system extends beyond providing treatment in clinics; it is rooted in preventive initiatives and encouraging regular screenings to prevent disease progression.

For his part, Dr. Ahmed Al-Fudairi, Head of the Ophthalmology and Eye Surgery Department at the hospital and Chairman of the Ophthalmology Departments Council at the Ministry of Health, told KUNA that the Ministry of Health is keen on enhancing integrated healthcare and social responsibility by organizing campaigns for the early detection of the most common eye diseases in the country.

He clarified that treatment services are now available and distributed across various governorates of Kuwait through most primary healthcare centers and general hospitals. He added that these campaigns aim to detect vision problems early through advanced examinations, including visual acuity testing and intraocular pressure measurement to detect glaucoma, which often presents no obvious symptoms in its early stages.

Dr. Al-Fudairi highlighted the importance of regular check-ups, especially for those over the age of 40, noting that the Ministry has provided modern devices for retinal imaging and fundus examination without the need for dilating drops, which previously caused discomfort to patients. He explained that early detection of retinopathy helps limit its complications.