HEALTH

Early detection for vision correction
Pratibha Chauhan
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, April 8
With doctors as well as parents failing to detect squint in children at an early age, the number of such patients pouring in at PGI’s Ophthalmology Department is over 1,000 every year, as some of them have to contend with irreversible vision loss.

The fact that in a majority of the cases even doctors fail to detect the fault early, during the past two years over 2,000 cases have come to the PGI, apart from the old cases under treatment. “In order to ensure proper therapy and vision correction, timely detection it is very essential,” remarks Dr Gagandeep Brar at the PGI.

Though there is no upper age limit, the child is given therapy after the age of 12 years. The vision loss due to squint is permanent and only cosmetic correction can be achieved. Squint can never lead to complete blindness. The sooner squint is detected, the better are the results as in children below the age of three, one can expect normal vision.

Dwelling on the main reasons for squint in a child, Dr Brar said these could be due to genetic reasons, weak eyesight, syndrome associated with other disease or in a very small percentage due to iodine deficiency. “However, in majority of the children with squint, being a sporadic case in the family, with no particular reason,” explains Dr Brar.

“Seeing such a large number of cases, it becomes essential that regular eye check up in the schools must be undertaken so that timely prevention can minimise damage,” feels Dr Brar. He said another factor leading to such a large number of cases is that in some cases the general ophthalmologists fail to detect the problem. So if eye problem persists, a specialist must be consulted. At times some of the doctors suggest that the surgery for squint can wait till the child is slightly old, whereas this is the worst thing one can do in case of squint.

Another area of concern as far as squint problem is concerned is the poor follow up. “Strict follow-up is essential as close monitoring is required to ensure that vision is developing properly,” he points out. During the follow-up after surgery, the better eye with proper vision is patched up so that the lazy eye is forced to see and vision starts developing.

Doctors’ suggestions

• In case one child has squint, all the siblings must be examined by a specialist.
• If the child is keeping the book too close to the eyes while studying, his eyes must be checked.
• Redness and irritation in the eyes.
• Bloodshot eyes and fear of light , excessive flow of tears.
• Blurred images and dimmed vision.
• Inability to distinguish colours and spots before eyes.
  
  
  

SPORTS

UT athletics meet evokes poor response
Our Sports Reporter

Chandigarh, April 8
The much delayed Inter-school Athletics Meet of the 2002-2003 session evoked poor response. Young athletes, who had given their entries several months back, never turned up for the today’s event. The reason quoted by various athletes and officials was that since the children have just appeared in their annual examinations, they were out of practice. Moreover, many participants were in leather school shoes and some of them even participated bare footed in the meet.

Jasbir Kaur of Government Model Senior Secondary School, Sector 37, clinched gold medal in the UT Inter-school Athletics Meet began here today at the Sector 7 Sports Complex. Earlier, the three-day meet was inaugurated by Mr DS Mangat, DPI (Schools), UT. Other winners in different age groups were: (girls) long jump (under-14) — Ruchi Sharma; shot put (under-19) — Navjot Kaur; 400 metres (under-19) — Bimla; 100 metres — Pandit Shikha; shot put (under-14) — Pasha Gill; 100 metres (under-19) — Purnima; long jump (under-19) — Reena; and shot put (under-17) — Ganimat. Boys: 400 metres (under-19) Chandan; 100 metres: Anil Mangla; shot put —Harinder Singh, 100 metres (under-17) — Surinder; 400 metres (under-17) — Anthony; 1500 metres (under-17) — Suraj; broad jump (under-17) — Vijay Negi, 400 metres (under-14) — Parshant; broad jump (under-17) — Ravi, and shot put (under-14) — Kashish.

Cricket meet

Satluj Public School Coaching Centre, Panchkula, defeated St John’s High School, Sector 26, ‘B’ by four runs in the SN Vohra Memorial Cricket Tournament played here today at various venues in the city. In another match of the day, St John’s School, ‘A’ team outplayed MCA ‘B’ team by nine wickets. In the third match, Sector 16 Stadium XI beat MCA ‘A’ team by three wickets.

In the last match of the day, Satluj Coaching Centre, Panchkula, defeated Little Flower School, Sector 14, Panchkula, by 14 runs.

Gymnastics hall opened at ITBP centre
Our Sports Reporter

Chandigarh, April 8
The Director-General of Indo-Tibetan Border Force (ITBP), Mr R.C. Agarwal, today announced that a concrete plan to improve sports scenario in the ITBP was on the anvil. He was here to inaugurate a gymnastics hall at the ITBP centre, Behlana, UT.

On the poor performance of ITBP gymnasts since 1994, he said it was due to lack of state-of-art equipment.

He said in the 1982 Asian Games majority of Indian gymnastics team consisted of ITBP gymnasts.

He praised the stupendous efforts made by ITBP coach Samir Deb in moulding the trainees to higher level.

Mr Agarwal said there would be no dearth of incentives for the gymnasts but they too have to perform. Earlier, the DG, ITBP, watched a demonstration by ITBP gymnasts and applauded their efforts. Impressed by their performance, he sanctioned rubber pits for the gymnasts.

He also assured the officials of the Gymnastics Federation of India (GFI) and the Chandigarh Gymnastics Association to go ahead with their decision to hold the Senior National Gymnastics Meet at Chandigarh in December this year.

Mr PS Virk, Vice-President, GFI, and Dr P.C. Kashyap, Regional Director, Sports Authority Of India, North centre, were also present on the occasion.

Use of drugs by sportspersons flayed
Our Sports Reporter

Chandigarh, April 8
The newly elected team of the Chandigarh Olympic Association, (COA) led by its president Rana Gurmeet Singh Sodhi and secretary general, Mr Ravinder Talwar, in a joint statement have condemned the use of drugs in sports. They applauded the decision taken by Raja Randhir Singh, secretary general, Indian Olympic Association for imposing life ban on, Laxman Singh, a rower, along with his coach Harjinder Singh of the Chandigarh Rowing Association.

Laxman Singh had won bronze medal in the 32nd National Games held in Hyderabad. Rana Sodhi further said the COA would take strict action against both, the player as well as his coach.

He said even the senior officials of the Chandigarh Rowing Association would be asked to clarify on this incident.

ADMINISTRATION

New office for SDM (South)
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, April 8
The office of the Sub-Divisional Magistrate (South) will start functioning from the Sports Complex, Sector 42 from tomorrow. The present SDM (South), Ms Madhvi Kataria, will now operate from the new office.

The facilities in the new office will also include the registration of new vehicles, issuance of certificates for the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes and OBCs. The SDM will also be the estate officer for eviction cases under the Public Premises Act, 1971. in addition to this, the SDM will also deal with cases regarding the mutation of land and property.

The SDM will also give permissions such as on the use of loudspeakers. Also late registration of births and death will be permitted from the new office for the people living in the southern sectors.

The area of operation will be all sectors south of the Dakshin Marg. Thus, all sectors starting from Sector 31 to Sector 56 and also 504 Chandigarh Housing Board flats in Sector 61, villages of Maloya, Kajheri, Badheri, Attawa, Buterla, Burail and Faidan, with the included in the area of operation.