Fishermen face vision problems at forties

Srikakulam: Marine fishermen in Srikakulam district and other districts in the state are suffering from eye related diseases at their 40 years of age. Main reasons for the eye diseases are reflection of ultra-violet rays on the surface of the sea from the sun and drying up humidity on the eyes due to salty and dry air.

In Srikakulam district, around 50,000 fishermen are going into sea regularly for fishing purpose. They are spread in 104 sea coast villages in 10 mandals across the district from Ranasthalam to Itchapuram covering a distance of 193 km sea coast area.

When they cross 40 years of age, they are facing eye related diseases like loss of clear sight due to cornea damage, refractive errors in sight and cataract. According Joint Director for Fisheries Dr VV Krishnamurthy, around 2,500 fishermen are suffering from various eye diseases due to reflection of ultra-violet rays and salty air. We requested Medical and Health department officials to conduct eye testing camps at 21 main sea coast villages in 10 mandals to cover all the fishermen, the JD explained to The Hans India.

After learning about the problem during election campaign in 2014, Chandrababu Naidu assured pension for fishermen above 50 years of age and the assurance has been implemented recently. “Due to loss of clear eye sight, I am unable to go for fish hunt now and staying at home,’’ said Allipilli Ramudu, fisherman of Kovvada village in Ranasthalam mandal.

“Marine fishermen required to use protective glasses to prevent reflection from ultra-violet rays and salty air to avoid eye diseases at early age,’ eye specialist and District Blindness Prevention Society doctor GV Ramana Kumar explained to this newspaper. “We have conducted eye camps at 14 fishermen villages in 7 mandals across the district and 700 were tested. Of them, 555 persons are suffering from various eye defects,’’ district medical and health officer Dr Sanapala Tirupathi Rao told The Hans India.