January is National Glaucoma Awareness Month.
Currently, 2.7
million people in the United States over age 40 have glaucoma. The National Eye
Institute projects this number will reach 4.2 million by 2030, a 58 percent
increase. Glaucoma is called “the sneak thief of sight” since there
are no symptoms and once vision is lost, it’s permanent. As much as 40% of
vision can be lost without a person noticing. Glaucoma is the leading cause of
preventable blindness. Moreover, among African American and Latino populations,
glaucoma is more prevalent. Glaucoma is 6 to 8 times more common in African
Americans than Caucasians. Over 2.7 million Americans, and over 60 million
people worldwide, have glaucoma. Experts estimate that half of them don’t know they
have it. Combined with our aging population, we can see an epidemic of
blindness looming if we don’t raise awareness about the importance of regular
eye examinations to preserve vision. The World Health Organization estimates
that 4.5 million people worldwide are blind due to glaucoma. More than 2.2
million Americans age 40 and older suffer from glaucoma. Nearly half do not
know they have the disease—it causes no early symptoms
million people in the United States over age 40 have glaucoma. The National Eye
Institute projects this number will reach 4.2 million by 2030, a 58 percent
increase. Glaucoma is called “the sneak thief of sight” since there
are no symptoms and once vision is lost, it’s permanent. As much as 40% of
vision can be lost without a person noticing. Glaucoma is the leading cause of
preventable blindness. Moreover, among African American and Latino populations,
glaucoma is more prevalent. Glaucoma is 6 to 8 times more common in African
Americans than Caucasians. Over 2.7 million Americans, and over 60 million
people worldwide, have glaucoma. Experts estimate that half of them don’t know they
have it. Combined with our aging population, we can see an epidemic of
blindness looming if we don’t raise awareness about the importance of regular
eye examinations to preserve vision. The World Health Organization estimates
that 4.5 million people worldwide are blind due to glaucoma. More than 2.2
million Americans age 40 and older suffer from glaucoma. Nearly half do not
know they have the disease—it causes no early symptoms
Some Statistics about Glaucoma
- It
is estimated that over 2.2 million Americans have glaucoma but only half
of those know they have it.
- In
the U.S., more than 120,000 are blind from glaucoma, accounting
for 9% to 12% of all cases of blindness.
- Glaucoma
is the second leading cause of blindness in the world, according to the
World Health Organization.
- After
cataracts, glaucoma is the leading cause of blindness among African
Americans.
- Blindness
from glaucoma is 6 to 8 times more common in African Americans than
Caucasians.
- African
Americans are 15 times more likely to be visually impaired from glaucoma
than Caucasians.
- The
most common form, open-angle glaucoma, accounts for 19% of all blindness
among African Americans compared to 6% in Caucasians.
- 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 over 60 million
worldwide.