Scotland

Eye tests can stop the 'sneak thief of sight': 6 March 2008

Summary: Effects of Glaucoma usually unnoticed until damage is done.

• World Glaucoma Day
• High risk groups identified

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Summary: Effects of Glaucoma usually unnoticeable until damage is done.

An estimated 210,000 people in the UK suffer irreversible sight loss despite treatments being readily available, an alliance of charities and health professionals has warned today.

They have labelled the eye condition glaucoma ‘the sneak-thief of sight’. Its effects, while progressive, are usually unnoticeable until a relatively advanced stage. By then the damage is done - and is irreversible.

World Glaucoma Day

ITN newscaster Sir Trevor McDonald has signed a letter issued to newspapers in support of the first ever World Glaucoma Day today. Sir Trevor says "Glaucoma doesn't have any symptoms in its early stages; people can lose up to 40 per cent of their sight before they realise they have a problem."

John Legg, director of the Royal National Institute of Blind People Scotland - a member of the alliance - said glaucoma is the second largest cause of registered blindness in the UK but an estimated half of those affected don't know they have the condition.

"Glaucoma accounts for approximately 11 per cent of people registered as blind and 10 per cent of people registered as partially sighted," he said. "We need to ensure that people with glaucoma are diagnosed early so that they do not reach the stage where they are eligible for registration as blind or partially sighted."

Glaucoma is the name for a group of eye conditions in which increased pressure within the eye squeezes the optic nerve and damages some of the nerve fibres. This nerve carries information from the retina (the light sensitive layer in the eye) to the brain where it is perceived as a picture. Peripheral vision is the first area to be affected. But if glaucoma is left untreated, the damage can lead to eventual loss of central vision.

High risk groups identified

Yet there is no reason why people should suffer sight loss due to glaucoma, insists the Glaucoma Alliance. Early detection is crucial.

Regular eye tests can pick up signs of the condition before any damage has occurred, maximising the chances of successful treatment. Some people are more at risk than others: those aged over 40, those of African and African/Caribbean origin, those with a family history of glaucoma, people with very short sight (severe myopia), and diabetics.

Among those whose glaucoma has been already diagnosed, people from deprived backgrounds are more likely to be late for detection and treatment, significantly increasing their risk of permanent sight loss. Failure to attend follow-up appointments and problems with the treatment regime persist.

John Legg said: " With the introduction of free eye tests in Scotland in 2006, we have a great opportunity to tackle glaucoma more effectively. But what we need is a strategic approach that looks at the whole picture from early detection to successful treatment and the preservation of sight."

Regular and thorough eye tests are vital if glaucoma is to be detected early and sight loss prevented, says the alliance. Adults should have an eye test every two years. People over the age of 60 should have an annual eye test as should those from higher risk groups who are over 40.

Content author: mike.brown@rnib.org.uk

Last updated: 08/04/2008 18:38