Ignoring the glaucoma family connection can cost you your eyesight

World Glaucoma Day, which is globally a joint initiative between the World Glaucoma Association and the World Glaucoma Patient Organisation, will be marked worldwide, raising awareness of glaucoma to hundreds of thousands of members of the public, healthcare professionals, government officials and the media. The day aims to educate people about how to assess their risk for glaucoma and to be aware of the importance of regular eye exams and disease detection.

Locally, leading eye care company, Alcon Laboratories, in association with the South African Glaucoma Society, have embarked on an initiative to increase awareness about this devastating disease, and in particular, to reinforce the message that family members of glaucoma sufferers are at a much higher risk of developing this disease and need to have regular eye tests. In fact, people who have a family member with glaucoma are about four times more likely to develop the disease.

Glaucoma is a group of eye diseases that damage the optic nerve (the bundle of nerve fibers that carries information from the eye to the brain), leading to vision loss and possibly blindness3. “Glaucoma is a devastating eye disease that affects around 5 to 7% of the black population, and 3 to 5 % of the white population in South Africa. It is estimated that there are currently about 2 000 000 people in South Africa either with diagnosed or undiagnosed glaucoma,” says Dr. Ellen Ancker, executive member of the South African Glaucoma Society and an ophthalmologist from Cape Town.
Glaucoma is the second most common cause of blindness worldwide. Globally an estimated 66.8 million people are visually impaired due to glaucoma, and an estimated 6.7 million are blind. It is predicted that this number will rise to 11.2 million by 2020. Due to the silent progression of the disease - at least in its early stages - up to 50% of affected persons in developed countries are not even aware of having glaucoma. This number could be as high as 90% in underdeveloped parts of the world.

If left untreated, most types of glaucoma progress (without warning or obvious symptoms) towards gradually worsening visual damage and may lead to blindness. Once incurred, visual damage is mostly irreversible, and this has led to glaucoma being described as the "silent blinding disease" or the "sneak thief of sight".

There are two main forms of glaucoma: open-angle (the most common form that affects approximately 95% of individuals) and closed-angle. Open-angle glaucoma, by far the most common form, initially has no symptoms. At some point, side (peripheral) vision is lost and without treatment, an individual can become totally blind.

There is no cure for glaucoma as yet, and vision loss is irreversible. However medication or surgery (traditional or laser) can halt or slow-down any further vision loss. Early detection is therefore essential to limiting visual impairment and preventing the progression towards severe visual handicap or blindness4. The earlier in the course of the disease effective treatment is commenced, the more sight can be preserved.

People who have a family history of glaucoma should have their eyes tested before the age of 35 and thereafter every two years unless otherwise specified by their optometrist or opthalmologist.

The South African Glaucoma Society will be hosting free glaucoma screening at the following venues around South Africa on World Glaucoma Day, Thursday 12th March 2009:

PRETORIA:
Mamelodi Hospital (from 09H30 - 167H00)
· Tshwane District Hospital (Previously old Pretoria Academic Hospital)
· Pretoria West Hospital
· Pretoria Eye Institute, Schoeman Street (12:00 - 17:00) - For an appointment please call Cilla on 0861 630 630

BLOEMFONTEIN:
National Hospital - For those over 40 without previous glaucoma diagnosis (08H00 - 14H00)
Pasteur Eye Centre - For those over 40 without previous glaucoma diagnosis (08H00 - 14H00)

EAST LONDON:
Vincent Mall - 10H00 - 17H00
Mdantsane Mall - 10H00 - 17H00

Both the above initiatives are joint partnerships between St John's Ambulance and Eye Clinic, Small Projects Foundation and The Eye Centre. An ophthalmic nurse will be at both venues to educate and test the public for glaucoma

CAPE TOWN:
Groote Schuur Eye Clinic, Hospital Street - 08H00 - 14H00
Mitchell's Plain Community Centre / Shopping Mall

The South African Glaucoma Society urges South Africans, especially those with a family history of glaucoma, to have regular eye checks and to speak to their physician or ophthalmologist if they are worried about their risk for glaucoma.