A CAPE COD OPTOMETRIST FACT:
DID YOU KNOW...
Glaucoma is a very misunderstood disease. Often, people don’t realize the severity or who is affected. We hope the following information is helpful to you.
Four Key Facts About Glaucoma
Glaucoma is a leading cause of blindness
Glaucoma can cause blindness if it is left untreated. And unfortunately approximately 10% of people with glaucoma who receive proper treatment still experience loss of vision.
There is no cure (yet) for glaucoma
Glaucoma is not curable, and vision lost cannot be regained. With medication and/or surgery, it is possible to halt further loss of vision. Since glaucoma is a chronic condition, it must be monitored for life.
Diagnosis is the first step to preserving your vision.
Everyone is at risk for glaucoma
Everyone is at risk for glaucoma from babies to senior citizens. Yes, older people are at a higher risk for glaucoma but babies can be born with glaucoma (approximately 1 out of every 10,000 babies born in the United States).
Young adults can get glaucoma, too. African-Americans in particular are susceptible at a younger age.
There may be no symptoms to warn you
With open angle glaucoma, the most common form, there are virtually no symptoms. Usually, no pain is associated with increased eye pressure.
Vision loss begins with peripheral or side vision. You may compensate for this unconsciously by turning your head to the side, and may not notice anything until significant vision is lost. The best way to protect your sight from glaucoma is to get tested. If you have glaucoma, treatment can begin immediately.
Some Statistics About Glaucoma
Sources are listed at the bottom of this page.
It is estimated that over 4 million Americans have glaucoma but only half of those know they have it. (1)
Approximately 120,000 are blind from glaucoma, accounting for 9% to 12% of all cases of blindness in the U.S. (2)
About 2% of the population ages 40-50 and 8% over 70 have elevated IOP.
Glaucoma is the second leading cause of blindness in the world, according to the World Health Organization.
Glaucoma is the leading cause of blindness among African-Americans. (2)
Glaucoma is 6 to 8 times more common in African-Americans than Caucasians. (3)
African-Americans ages 45-65 are 14 to 17 times more likely to go blind from glaucoma than Caucasians with glaucoma in the same age group.
The most common form, Open Angle Glaucoma, accounts for 19% of all blindness among African-Americans compared to 6% in Caucasians. (4)
Other high-risk groups include: people over 60, family members of those already diagnosed, diabetics, and people who are severely nearsighted.
Estimates put the total number of suspected cases of glaucoma at around 65 million worldwide. (5)
