Thursday, September 3, 2009

Free Glaucoma Screening Available at Sinai

The Eyes Have It Program (EHIP) offers free monthly glaucoma screenings to all Baltimore citizens. Glaucoma is a blinding eye disease with no obvious warning signs.

A FREE glaucoma screening will be held from 4:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Tuesday, September 15, on the sixth floor of the Morton Mower Building, Krieger Eye Institute, on the Sinai Hospital campus.

For unknown reasons, African-Americans are 3-4 times more likely to get glaucoma than other groups. Others at risk include:
  • People with family history of the disease
  • People over 60
  • People with diabetes
  • People who are extremely nearsighted or farsighted
  • Long-time users of steroid medications
  • The victim of a severe eye trauma
  • Hispanics
  • Russian Jews
  • American Indians

The Maryland-based Polakoff Foundation, a founding member of The Eyes Have It Program, has a goal of screening at least 500 high-risk people in 2009 at four different Baltimore hospitals.

Screenings are painless and take only a few minutes. The Eyes Have It Program maintains programs for uninsured people who are referred for medical attention due to glaucoma. No appointment is necessary.

For more information on upcoming screenings, call 410-601-7295 or click here.

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