World Glaucoma Week 2010: Setting Your Sights on Raising Awareness

– Independent Global Survey Illustrates Low Awareness of
Glaucoma and Eye Health –

The world is coming together on March 12 to reinforce awareness and understanding about the importance of early detection of glaucoma, the world’s second leading cause of blindness, and the Glaucoma Service Foundation to Prevent Blindness is supporting this initiative.

Led by the World Glaucoma Association (WGA) and World Glaucoma Patient Association (WGPA), World Glaucoma Day is a unique initiative to help those with an interest in improved eye health to understand the devastating effects of a condition which could affect as many as 80 million people by 2020.

“Glaucoma is not just a disease of the elderly. Now is the time to change the public mindset about glaucoma,” said Scott Christensen (New York, US), President of the World Glaucoma Patient Association and President.

Known as the “sneak thief of sight,” glaucoma is a disease characterized by a gradual loss of vision resulting from the death of the cells in the eye – the optic nerve cells – which transmit visual images through the optic nerve to the brain.

As the optic nerve becomes increasingly damaged, permanent vision loss and blindness can occur. Early detection is the key to treating and halting the effects of glaucoma, but current worldwide estimates reveal that more than half of glaucoma sufferers do not even realize they have the disease.

“When glaucoma is detected early and appropriate treatment is instituted, 90% of the blindness from glaucoma could be eliminated,” said Dr. Robert Ritch, Professor and Chief of Glaucoma Services New York Eye and Ear Infirmary and Co-Chair of the WGA/WGPA Physician Liaison Committee.

There are several known risk factors for glaucoma, which include increasing age, family history of glaucoma, African and Chinese ancestry, nearsightedness, high blood pressure and elevated eye pressure (also known as elevated intraocular pressure or IOP). Of these, IOP is currently recognized as the only modifiable risk factor for glaucoma. Lowering IOP in glaucoma’s early stages offers the best chance of preserving vision.

All Eyes on Glaucoma™ Survey Shows Low Awareness

A global survey of attitudes on glaucoma amongst the over-40 population, conducted by the All Eyes on Glaucoma campaign, showed that knowledge and awareness of the condition is extremely low. A total of 40% of people surveyed were unaware that glaucoma is linked to blindness.

The survey also showed that less than 50% of respondents had undergone an eye pressure check, a common diagnostic tool which assists the detection of glaucoma. This proportion did not increase in older age groups covered by the survey, even though the risk of glaucoma increases with age.

“Accurate diagnosis and appropriate treatment of glaucoma can prevent damage to the optic nerve and preserve healthy vision, which is why comprehensive check-ups that include eye pressure measurements and careful evaluation of the optic nerve are so important,” said Dr. Ivan Goldberg (Sydney, Australia), Immediate Past WGA President and Co-Chair of the WGA/WGPA Physician Liaison Committee. “Since vision loss from glaucoma is permanent, glaucoma needs to be diagnosed and treated as early as possible,”

“World Glaucoma Day offers an opportunity to jumpstart awareness activities around the world,” said Dr. George Lambrou (Athens, Greece), Global Project Leader for the Day and Executive Vice-Chair of the WGA/WGPA Physician Liaison Committee. “We hope that it will also lead to official recognition by healthcare providers and policy makers that glaucoma – and in particular its high undiagnosed rate – is a problem that needs to be addressed”.

More information about World Glaucoma Day can be found at the official website, www.wgday.net. To learn more about the All Eyes on Glaucoma initiative, including the global survey, visit www.AllEyesOnGlaucoma.com.