Our campaign report 'Don't blame the patient' launched in January 2007, states the reasons why more than 200,000 people in the UK are needlessly losing their sight to glaucoma.
Our Tunnel Vision campaign report made recommendations to improve the diagnosis and treatment of glaucoma in the UK.
The full campaign report is available from our online shop or from Customer Services on 0845 702 3153 or by email cservices@rnib.org.uk.
Our findings
The report gives three main reasons why people continue to lose their sight from this treatable condition:
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problems with following prescribed treatment regimes.
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stopping treatment altogether
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failure to detect glaucoma early, especially in African/African Caribbean communities who are at a much higher risk of developing glaucoma.
The ongoing discussions about new pathways clearly show that improvements in glaucoma care remain an issue. An important aspect of this is the extent to which changes to the current pathways not only improve care for people with glaucoma but also increase the likelihood of glaucoma being detected early. Early detection is the key to preventing unnecessary sight loss, a vital part of RNIB's mission.
RNIB's message to people with glaucoma is simply 'don't stop the drops!' and for everyone else it is to have regular eye tests. It is also important for everyone working in glaucoma care to make sure their patients are fully aware of the importance of sticking to their treatments.