World Glaucoma Week

World Glaucoma Week runs from today, Monday 8 March, and is aimed at both increasing awareness of this dangerous eye condition and screening people at a local level.

Around half of those living with glaucoma do not realise they have it. It is the name given to a series of devastating diseases that damage the eye’s optic nerve and effects peripheral, or side vision. Since vision loss is permanent, glaucoma needs to be diagnosed and appropriately treated as early as possible to prevent further damage.

Studies have shown that glaucoma is becoming increasingly more common in older people and, with the number of people aged over 65 in Ireland predicted to increase by almost two-fifths by 2016, and to treble by 2041 it is vital that these are caught early.

The drive to increase awareness of glaucoma is being supported in partnership by the Association of Optometrists Ireland (AOI), the Irish College of Ophthalmologists (ICO), the National Council for the Blind of Ireland (NCBI) and Pfizer Healthcare Ireland.

The evidence indicates that if a patient can be diagnosed in the early stage of the disease, then there is every likelihood that treatment will prevent the condition from progressing.

Most patients are well treated with eye-drops alone, though some may require laser or surgery to control the eye pressure. Regular eye examinations are vital to ensure eye conditions are identified early and appropriately managed.

The test is quick, a painless puff of air in the eye, and gives an immediate result.

The primary risk factors for glaucoma include, increasing age, a family history of glaucoma, high intraocular pressure (IOP), marked nearsightedness. People of African and Asian descent are prone to particular types of glaucoma.

Nichola Kennedy, Kilcullen's optrometist, is offering free glaucoma screening tests all this week.