Hundreds of Thousands Face Blindness Risk from Undiagnosed Glaucoma

More than half a million people could be at risk of blindness from undiagnosed glaucoma, researchers have found. Analysis by experts from Moorfields Eye Hospital and University College London (UCL) has revealed that some 1.02 million people are living with glaucoma in the UK, significantly more than the 700,000 previously thought. About half of these people have not yet received a diagnosis, the researchers said. Glaucoma is a common eye condition that develops slowly over a number of years, making it hard to detect. It mostly affects those over the age of 50. The study, published in the British Journal of Ophthalmology, has also predicted that the number of glaucoma cases in the UK is set to surge 60 per cent by 2060 to 1.6 million. b' ' Researchers said the rise was a “timebomb” that would require “serious planning and action now” to ensure people were diagnosed and treated quickly in future. Glaucoma is the second most common cause of blindness in the UK, behind macular degeneration, and has no symptoms until a person begins to lose their vision. It can only be spotted by opticians. The condition causes damage to the optic nerve, which connects the eye and the brain, and disproportionately affects the elderly as well as those with diabetes or other eye conditions, including myopia and far-sightedness. There is currently no cure but the damage caused by the disease can be slowed down with treatments such as eye drops and surgery. Using the most recent census data, the team behind the study estimates that one million people in the UK currently have the condition, the equivalent of 3 per cent of the population over the age of 40. This is predicted to rise to four per cent among people of African descent, who are at higher risk. With a growing number of people living for longer, the number of those over 85 with glaucoma is expected to double from about 220,000 to more than 440,000 within 35 years. Experts stressed the importance of annual eye checks for people in middle age, and called for awareness campaigns to be rolled out to address late diagnosis. Professor Paul Foster, the lead author from UCL and a consultant ophthalmic surgeon at Moorfields Eye Hospital, said: “Glaucoma is a common cause of blindness, but it isn’t symptomatic until its later stages, so regular tests are important for early diagnosis. “Late diagnosis comes with a higher risk of sight loss and higher costs of care; over 40 per cent of glaucoma patients in the UK experience vision loss that could have been prevented with earlier diagnosis and treatment such as eye drops or surgery.” He said that the NHS needed to expand its ophthalmology services to meet the expected rise in demand. Prof Foster added: “Awareness campaigns encouraging people to get their eyes checked are also needed as part of targeted early detection strategies, particularly to address late diagnosis in underserved, hard-to-reach populations. “For people in midlife onwards, it’s important to get your eyes checked annually by your optician, to detect changes that haven’t yet caused any symptoms.” Joanne Creighton, chief executive of Glaucoma UK, which commissioned the research, said: “This new study reveals a reality where over one million adults aged 40 and above are currently living with glaucoma, many of them without knowing, and potentially losing sight which they will never be able to recover. “This landmark study also predicts a 60 per cent increase in glaucoma cases by 2060, rising from just over one million to 1.61 million. This is a demographic timebomb, and we need serious planning and action now to prepare to diagnose, treat, and support these future patients. “These findings highlight why routine eye tests are more important than ever before.”