As part of World Glaucoma Week, a Health Education Programme was conducted at
Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research (JIPMER),
Puducherry, on 10 March 2026 at the SSB Auditorium. The programme aimed to create
awareness among the public about glaucoma, a leading cause of irreversible blindness
worldwide.The Welcome Address was delivered by Dr Ramesh Babu, Professor and Head
of the Department. The Chief Guest Address was delivered by Dr Saka Vinod Kumar,
Medical Superintendent, JIPMER, Puducherry. He emphasized the importance of early
detection and regular eye examinations to prevent vision loss due to glaucoma. As part of the
event, prizes were distributed to the winners of competitions conducted during the awareness
week. A special Glaucoma Awareness Talk titled “Know Glaucoma” was delivered by
Dr. Subashini Kaliaperumal, Professor and Head of Glaucoma Services, who explained
how glaucoma can silently rob a person of vision if not detected through regular eye
examinations. The session was interactive, during which she addressed and clarified the
doubts raised by members of the public and patients. The programme also featured an
educational video presentations as part of a competition (“Reel for Sight”) on glaucoma
awareness and a role play performed by doctors, which helped educate the audience about
the symptoms, risk factors, and preventive measures related to glaucoma. The event was well
attended by glaucoma patients and their families, general public, nursing staff, housekeeping
staff, postgraduate students and faculty of JIPMER.
Through this initiative, JIPMER reiterated its commitment to increasing public awareness
about glaucoma and highlighted the importance of early diagnosis and timely treatment in
preventing avoidable blindness.