Message from the Chairperson

To begin with, I wish to express my sincere thanks to the members of the College of Ophthalmologists of Sri Lanka for placing your trust in me to chair the Glaucoma Interest Group of Sri Lanka (GIG) for the next two years. I am deeply honoured and fully aware of the responsibility that I have been entrusted with.

Glaucoma is a leading cause of preventable, irreversible blindness worldwide with an estimate of about 76 million patients in 2020. This number is expected to increase to about 111 million in 2040. In Sri Lanka, regional disparities in access to care, late presentation, and limited awareness pose significant challenges. Addressing these issues requires a coordinated, informed, and sustained effort at national level.

The Glaucoma Interest Group, established in July 2012, has played a pivotal role in advancing glaucoma care in Sri Lanka, including securing membership in the World Glaucoma Association. Over the years, the scope of its activities has expanded, with a primary focus on enhancing and updating the knowledge of its members, while also raising awareness of glaucoma-related blindness among primary care physicians, paramedical staff, public health personnel, and the general public.

As part of these ongoing efforts, we are conducting a screening camp throughout the country  aimed at reaching members of the general public who may not otherwise seek timely medical attention.

World Glaucoma Week 2026, to be observed from the 8th to the 14th of March, is a global initiative organized by the World Glaucoma Association. The theme for this year, “Uniting for a Glaucoma-Free World,” highlights our shared responsibility. As a professional body, our key message is the importance of regular eye and optic nerve examinations for early detection, as timely and effective treatments are available to prevent visual loss in all forms of glaucoma. We will also work towards empowering patients to advocate family screening.

The GIG, under the auspices of the College of Ophthalmologists of Sri Lanka, will continue to work closely with the Ministry of Health, Vision 2030, and non-governmental organizations to design and implement multifaceted interventions aimed at reducing glaucoma-related disability more effectively.

The success of these programmes depends on collaboration, integration, and the active participation of every member of the College. My role as Chairperson is to guide, motivate, and inspire collective engagement towards this shared vision.

I envisage that the GIG will foster teamwork, and together with the working committee and the wider membership, work tirelessly to strive for excellence, to achieve our goal of reducing, and ultimately eliminating, glaucoma-related disability during the next two years.

Thank you

Dr. Kushlani Gooneratne

Chairperson
Glaucoma Interest Group of Sri Lanka