Vision Loss from the “Sneak Thief of Sight” Can Be Diminished with Early Diagnosis and Treatment
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE For more information:
Prevent Blindness Ohio
Stacie Lehman
Phone: 800-301-2020 ext. 105
E-mail: staciel@pbohio.org
Stacie Lehman
Phone: 800-301-2020 ext. 105
E-mail: staciel@pbohio.org
Prevent Blindness Ohio Joins in National Glaucoma Awareness Month in
Effort to Save Sight from Second Leading Cause of Blindness
Columbus, OH (January 11, 2012)– Today, more than 93,000 Ohioans age40 and older have open angle glaucoma, the most common form of glaucoma. At least half don't even know they have it. Glaucoma is a leading cause of blindness in the world, second only to cataracts, and the leading cause of blindness in African-Americans.According to research funded by Prevent Blindness America, glaucoma costs the U.S. economy $2.86 billion every year in direct medical costs for outpatient, inpatient and prescription drug services.
As part of January’s National Glaucoma Awareness Month, Prevent Blindness Ohio is joining with other leading eye health organizations in encouraging everyone to educate themselves on the disease as well as make a New Year’s resolution to make eye health a priority.
Glaucoma has long been termed the “sneak thief of sight” because it slowly takes away vision, often without the patient even realizing it. Glaucoma damages the optic nerve which sends information from the eyes to the brain. When the optic nerve is damaged, peripheral vision begins to diminish. If left untreated, over time, glaucoma may also damage central vision. Unfortunately, once symptoms are detected, the effectiveness of treatment diminishes. Once vision is lost, it cannot be restored.
Risk factors for glaucoma include advancing age, family history, nearsightedness, eye injury or surgery and the use of steroid medications. Race is another major risk factor as, according to the National Eye Institute, glaucoma is five times more likely to occur in blacks than in whites and blacks are four times more likely to go blind from it. Hispanics are more likely to develop glaucoma after age 60 than any other group.
Prevent Blindness Ohio and Prevent Blindness America provide free resourcesto educate consumers on glaucoma, including treatment options and general information at “The Glaucoma Learning Center,” a free website at www.preventblindess.org/glaucoma. Free printed materials are available by request including the “Guide for People with Glaucoma.” This comprehensive booklet serves as a handbook for patients and includes information on what to expect during treatment and even a list of questions to ask the eye doctor.
The Glaucoma Learning Center also hosts the “Glaucoma Web Discussion Forum” that allows patients and caregivers the opportunity to discuss online all subjects related to the disease. Topics range from general information on the condition and its treatment, to shared experiences and emotional support.
“We want to stress to everyone that vision can be saved from glaucoma through early diagnosis and treatment,” said Sherry Williams, President & CEO of Prevent Blindness Ohio. “Please visit our website or call our toll-free number to get all the free information you can to educate yourself on risk factors, treatment options and even Medicare coverage. Let’s all commit to make 2012 the year to make our eyes a priority and save our sight!”
For more information on glaucoma or other eye diseases, please call Prevent Blindness Ohio at 800-301-2020 or visit www.pbohio.org.
About Prevent Blindness Ohio
Prevent Blindness Ohio, founded in 1957, is Ohio’s leading volunteer nonprofit public health organization dedicated to prevent blindness and preserve sight. We serve all 88 Ohio counties, providing direct services to more than 800,000 Ohioans annually and educating millions of consumers about what they can do to protect and preserve their precious gift of sight. Prevent Blindness Ohio is an affiliate of Prevent Blindness America, the country’s second-oldest national voluntary health organization. For more information or to make a contribution, call 800-301-2020. Or, visit us on the web at www.pbohio.org or facebook.com/pbohio.
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2012 glaucoma FAct Sheet
- The 2008 update to Prevent Blindness America's Vision Problems in the U.S. report states that close to 2.3 million Americans age 40 and older, or about 1.9 percent of that population, have glaucoma.
- Glaucoma is the second leading cause of blindness in the world after cataracts, (according to the World Health Organization), and the leading cause of blindness in African-Americans (according to the National Institutes of Health).
- Glaucoma often occurs earlier in life in African-Americans—on average, about 10 years earlier than in other ethnic populations (Glaucoma Research Foundation)
- Glaucoma, the leading cause of irreversible blindness worldwide affecting approximately 70 million people (Thylefors B, Ne´grel AD, Pararajasegaram R, Dadzie KY. Global data on blindness. Bulletin World Health Organ. 1995;73:115–121.)
- An eye evaluation can uncover evidence of many forms of systemic disease that affect the eyes, like hypertension and diabetes. (American Academy of Ophthalmology)
- Prevent Blindness America’s 2007 research study, “The Economic Impact of Vision Problems” states that glaucoma costs the U.S. economy $2.86 billion every year in direct medical costs for outpatient, inpatient and prescription drug services.
- The same study found that glaucoma patients between the ages of 40 and 64 years of age can expect to pay $3,352 annually per person in direct medical costs for outpatient, inpatient and prescription drug services. For those 65 and older, the annual costs jump to $5,243 per person.
- While open-angle glaucoma is the most common form of glaucoma among Hispanics, Caucasians and African Americans, another form of glaucoma known as acute angle-closure glaucoma has traditionally been more common in certain Asian populations and Americans of Asian descent. (Glaucoma Research Foundation)
- Juvenile open angle glaucoma (JOAG) is a rare form of glaucoma that accounts for approximately one percent of total cases. The clinical features of JOAG are the same as those of more common forms of glaucoma.
- Approximately 120,000 people are blind from glaucoma, accounting for 9-12 percent of all cases of blindness in the U.S. (National Eye Health Program/National Institutes of Health).
- In the early stages, glaucoma has no symptoms, no noticeable vision loss, no pain, which is why it is called the “sneak thief of sight.” By the time symptoms start to appear, some permanent damage to the eye has usually occurred.
- Glaucoma that is undiagnosed or poorly controlled can lead to damage of the optic nerve, visual field loss and ultimately sight loss. People with glaucoma usually lose peripheral vision first. Over time, glaucoma may also damage central vision. Once lost, vision cannot be restored.
- Prevent Blindness America recommends that older people get regular, comprehensive eye exams, even if they have no signs of vision problems. The earlier glaucoma is detected, the better the chances are of preserving sight.
- Prevent Blindness America, with support from Alcon, Inc., provides “The Glaucoma Learning Center,” a comprehensive online tool to educate consumers on a variety of topics related to the disease at www.preventblindness.org/glaucoma.
- Everyone is at risk for glaucoma from young to old. Although older people are at higher risk, approximately 1 out of every 10,000 babies born in the United States is diagnosed with the disease (according to the Glaucoma Research Foundation).
Glaucoma Risk Factors
- Age:Those that are 40 and older are more likely to develop glaucoma. The older you are, the greater your risk.
- Race: People of African or Afro-Caribbean heritage are more likely to get glaucoma than the rest of the population. They are also more likely to develop glaucoma at a younger age.
- Family History:If you have a parent or sibling who has glaucoma, you are more likely to develop the disease.
- Diabetes:People with diabetes have a higher risk (40 percent) of developing glaucoma.
- Nearsightedness:People who are very nearsighted are at greater risk.
- Eye Injury or Surgery:Those who have had eye surgery or eye injuries may develop secondary glaucoma.
- Steroid Medication:Steroids may increase the risk of glaucoma when used for extended periods of time.
Types of Glaucoma:
Chronic (Open Angle) Glaucoma:This is the most common type. In open angle glaucoma, aqueous fluid drains too slowly and pressure inside the eye builds up. It usually results from aging of the drainage channel, which doesn’t work as well over time. However, younger people can also get this type of glaucoma.
Normal Tension Glaucoma:This is a form of open angle glaucoma not related to high pressure. People with normal tension glaucoma may be unusually sensitive to normal levels of pressure. Reduced blood supply to the optic nerve may also play a role in normal tension glaucoma.
Acute (Angle Closure) Glaucoma:This causes a sudden rise in eye pressure, requiring immediate, emergency medical care. The signs are usually serious and may include blurred vision, severe headaches, eye pain, nausea, vomiting or seeing rainbow-like halos around lights. Occasionally, the condition may be without symptoms; similar to open angle.
Secondary Glaucoma:Another 10 percent of glaucoma cases come from certain diseases and conditions that damage the eye’s drainage system. These include diabetes, leukemia, sickle-cell anemia, some forms of arthritis, cataracts, eye injuries or inflammation of the eye, steroid drug use and growth of unhealthy blood vessels.
Post-surgical Glaucoma:Some surgeries, such as retinal reattachments, increase the chance of getting glaucoma.