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A silent disorder is rising among older people worldwide, as millions unknowingly grapple with glaucoma, ophthalmologists warn.
“That’s a lot of people with a blinding disease who don’t know they have it,” said Joel S. Schuman, MD, professor of ophthalmology and codirector of the Glaucoma Service at Wills Eye Hospital in Philadelphia. “Late in the disease, people may notice they’re tripping over the curb, or walking into things they didn’t see. It really is only in very advanced disease that people notice there’s anything wrong.”
Glaucoma is the second leading cause of blindness worldwide, affecting 3 million people in the United States, and yet half of those affected are unaware, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Recent research at the University of Gothenburg in Sweden underscores glaucoma’s stealthy nature: Five percent of 560 70-year-olds had the disease, and half of those did not know they had it before they took part in the study.
“Living with glaucoma, especially without realizing it, can be very isolating,” said Lena Havstam Johansson, a PhD student at the University of Gothenburg and a specialist nurse at Sahlgrenska University Hospital, who did the study. “It may lead people to stay at home to avoid the trouble.”
Once symptoms arise, some may notice patchy blind spots in their peripheral vision, and in their central vision in late stages.
While many people assume they are getting clumsier with age, Dr. Schuman said, they often have a condition that can be slowed with the right treatment.
Though there are various types of the disease, about 9 in 10 people in the United States have primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG).
It is most common among people over the age of 60, those with a family history of glaucoma, and people who have diabetes. It disproportionately affects Black people, who are six times more likely than are White people to have advanced vision loss from the disease.
More than 120,000 people in the United States are blind from glaucoma, accounting for 9%-12% of all cases of blindness. Glaucoma treatments range from eye drops to laser treatments to surgery, all of which aim to reduce eye pressure. Some doctors will recommend oral medication along with eye drops.
“We have a lot of treatment options, and they work pretty well,” Dr. Schuman said. “But the first step is the person knowing they have glaucoma, and the second step is that person seeking care.
Rarer types of glaucoma include normal-tension glaucoma, which is more common among people of Japanese ancestry, and congenital glaucoma, which affects about 1 in 10,000 babies born in the United States.
The best way to ensure early detection and treatment is to get regular eye exams – every 2-4 years for adults under the age of 55, and annually thereafter, said Annie Wu, MD, clinical assistant professor of ophthalmology at the Kellogg Eye Center at the University of Michigan.
The fact that glaucoma’s symptoms are slow to develop, coupled with a lack of access to eye specialists many Americans face, makes the disease even more dangerous.
The University of Pennsylvania is among those trying to change that. The Philadelphia school has hosted free glaucoma screening programs for Black residents.
There are a number of organizations that offer access to free glaucoma screening.
A version of this article first appeared on WebMD.com.
A silent disorder is rising among older people worldwide, as millions unknowingly grapple with glaucoma, ophthalmologists warn.
“That’s a lot of people with a blinding disease who don’t know they have it,” said Joel S. Schuman, MD, professor of ophthalmology and codirector of the Glaucoma Service at Wills Eye Hospital in Philadelphia. “Late in the disease, people may notice they’re tripping over the curb, or walking into things they didn’t see. It really is only in very advanced disease that people notice there’s anything wrong.”
Glaucoma is the second leading cause of blindness worldwide, affecting 3 million people in the United States, and yet half of those affected are unaware, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Recent research at the University of Gothenburg in Sweden underscores glaucoma’s stealthy nature: Five percent of 560 70-year-olds had the disease, and half of those did not know they had it before they took part in the study.
“Living with glaucoma, especially without realizing it, can be very isolating,” said Lena Havstam Johansson, a PhD student at the University of Gothenburg and a specialist nurse at Sahlgrenska University Hospital, who did the study. “It may lead people to stay at home to avoid the trouble.”
Once symptoms arise, some may notice patchy blind spots in their peripheral vision, and in their central vision in late stages.
While many people assume they are getting clumsier with age, Dr. Schuman said, they often have a condition that can be slowed with the right treatment.
Though there are various types of the disease, about 9 in 10 people in the United States have primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG).
It is most common among people over the age of 60, those with a family history of glaucoma, and people who have diabetes. It disproportionately affects Black people, who are six times more likely than are White people to have advanced vision loss from the disease.
More than 120,000 people in the United States are blind from glaucoma, accounting for 9%-12% of all cases of blindness. Glaucoma treatments range from eye drops to laser treatments to surgery, all of which aim to reduce eye pressure. Some doctors will recommend oral medication along with eye drops.
“We have a lot of treatment options, and they work pretty well,” Dr. Schuman said. “But the first step is the person knowing they have glaucoma, and the second step is that person seeking care.
Rarer types of glaucoma include normal-tension glaucoma, which is more common among people of Japanese ancestry, and congenital glaucoma, which affects about 1 in 10,000 babies born in the United States.
The best way to ensure early detection and treatment is to get regular eye exams – every 2-4 years for adults under the age of 55, and annually thereafter, said Annie Wu, MD, clinical assistant professor of ophthalmology at the Kellogg Eye Center at the University of Michigan.
The fact that glaucoma’s symptoms are slow to develop, coupled with a lack of access to eye specialists many Americans face, makes the disease even more dangerous.
The University of Pennsylvania is among those trying to change that. The Philadelphia school has hosted free glaucoma screening programs for Black residents.
There are a number of organizations that offer access to free glaucoma screening.
A version of this article first appeared on WebMD.com.
A silent disorder is rising among older people worldwide, as millions unknowingly grapple with glaucoma, ophthalmologists warn.
“That’s a lot of people with a blinding disease who don’t know they have it,” said Joel S. Schuman, MD, professor of ophthalmology and codirector of the Glaucoma Service at Wills Eye Hospital in Philadelphia. “Late in the disease, people may notice they’re tripping over the curb, or walking into things they didn’t see. It really is only in very advanced disease that people notice there’s anything wrong.”
Glaucoma is the second leading cause of blindness worldwide, affecting 3 million people in the United States, and yet half of those affected are unaware, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Recent research at the University of Gothenburg in Sweden underscores glaucoma’s stealthy nature: Five percent of 560 70-year-olds had the disease, and half of those did not know they had it before they took part in the study.
“Living with glaucoma, especially without realizing it, can be very isolating,” said Lena Havstam Johansson, a PhD student at the University of Gothenburg and a specialist nurse at Sahlgrenska University Hospital, who did the study. “It may lead people to stay at home to avoid the trouble.”
Once symptoms arise, some may notice patchy blind spots in their peripheral vision, and in their central vision in late stages.
While many people assume they are getting clumsier with age, Dr. Schuman said, they often have a condition that can be slowed with the right treatment.
Though there are various types of the disease, about 9 in 10 people in the United States have primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG).
It is most common among people over the age of 60, those with a family history of glaucoma, and people who have diabetes. It disproportionately affects Black people, who are six times more likely than are White people to have advanced vision loss from the disease.
More than 120,000 people in the United States are blind from glaucoma, accounting for 9%-12% of all cases of blindness. Glaucoma treatments range from eye drops to laser treatments to surgery, all of which aim to reduce eye pressure. Some doctors will recommend oral medication along with eye drops.
“We have a lot of treatment options, and they work pretty well,” Dr. Schuman said. “But the first step is the person knowing they have glaucoma, and the second step is that person seeking care.
Rarer types of glaucoma include normal-tension glaucoma, which is more common among people of Japanese ancestry, and congenital glaucoma, which affects about 1 in 10,000 babies born in the United States.
The best way to ensure early detection and treatment is to get regular eye exams – every 2-4 years for adults under the age of 55, and annually thereafter, said Annie Wu, MD, clinical assistant professor of ophthalmology at the Kellogg Eye Center at the University of Michigan.
The fact that glaucoma’s symptoms are slow to develop, coupled with a lack of access to eye specialists many Americans face, makes the disease even more dangerous.
The University of Pennsylvania is among those trying to change that. The Philadelphia school has hosted free glaucoma screening programs for Black residents.
There are a number of organizations that offer access to free glaucoma screening.
A version of this article first appeared on WebMD.com.