World Glaucoma Week 2022: “The World is Bright, Save Your Sight”
Glaucoma is the leading cause of preventable irreversible blindness, affecting around 80 million people worldwide. Fortunately, rapid diagnosis and treatment can save someone from sight loss. Unfortunately, statistics show that roughly 50% (about 40 million people) don’t even know they have it, either due to lack of symptoms or adequate healthcare. And those numbers are set to rise exponentially, reaching an estimated 94.5 million afflicted by 2030.
So, what’s the answer? International awareness and dialogue.
A global initiative set up by the World Glaucoma Association (WGA), World Glaucoma Week (6–12 March) aims to bring together healthcare professionals, eye care providers, patients, and the public to foster awareness, encourage dialogue and improve glaucoma care worldwide.
Luis Abegão Pinto, touchREVIEWS in Ophthalmology Editorial Board member and Assistant Professor of Ophthalmology at the Faculty of Medicine of Lisbon University in Portugal, doubles down on the need for action, asserting:
“Glaucoma is a silent disease. Even today it remains the most common cause of irreversible blindness, in part because of delayed diagnosis and treatment. Don’t be part of that statistic. Go and get screened if you have any risk factor for the disease, such as a family history.”
Luis’ words echo the WGA’s goal, and it’s ultimately a humble one: for everyone to get regular eye and optic nerve checks, detect signs early and prevent unnecessary sight loss in millions of people. But the intermediate challenges are significant. After all, alerting a global population of almost 8 billion people to the risks of glaucoma is no mean feat, which is why the WGA encourages people to participate in activities that raise awareness in their local communities.
#glaucomaweek #gettested
touchOPHTHALMOLOGY is an avid supporter of the WGA’s awareness campaigns during World Glaucoma Week, recently publishing several articles that explore glaucoma treatments.
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