Glaucoma Awareness Month 2023 - Awareness is the First Step to Action

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Highlights:

• January is celebrated as National Glaucoma Awareness Month
• This is a perfect time to gain knowledge on glaucoma, its symptoms, detection, and prevention
• The national initiative aims for early detection of glaucoma, which is vital to halting its progress

National Glaucoma Awareness Month is observed throughout the entire month of January to raise awareness of glaucoma, one of the preventable causes of blindness (1^✔).

What is Glaucoma?

Glaucoma is a group of sight-threatening conditions (and not a single disease) that damages the optic nerve, the connection between the eye and brain, thereby snipping away the eyesight without warning (2^✔). It is also called �the sneak thief of sight' or �the thief of light' (5^✔).

Common symptoms involve blindness, loss of peripheral (side) vision, seeing glare, blurry vision, blind spots, or a lack of a 180-degree view. To patients with glaucoma, vision loss resembles as if one is �looking through the straw' (2^✔).

‘National Glaucoma Awareness Month is observed throughout January to raise awareness of glaucoma and ways to prevent it.’

Two common types of glaucoma are primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) and angle-closure glaucoma. They are characterized by raised intraocular pressure (IOP - the pressure inside the eye) (2^✔).

In cases where glaucoma is precipitated due to other diseases, it is referred to as secondary glaucoma (1^✔).

Facts on Glaucoma

• As per the World Health Organization, glaucoma is the second most common cause of blindness globally.
• Glaucoma can affect people of all age groups; however, it is most common among the middle-aged and the elderly (1^✔).
• Irreversible blindness due to glaucoma is known to affect 65 million individuals globally () with 4.5 million people being blind due to it (5^✔).
• Around 12 million people are affected by glaucoma in India, with almost 1.2 million suffering from blindness.
• Human eyes are capable of differentiating nearly 10 million colors . However, one of the leading causes of blindness and vision loss in the US is glaucoma (3^✔) with almost 9 - 12% of cases having blindness (5^✔).
• Those who are Black/African American, Hispanic, Latino, or have a family history of glaucoma are at a higher risk of acquiring it (3^✔).
• There are no early symptoms of glaucoma, and almost 40% of vision can be lost without a person noticing.
• Hence, nearly half of the population is unaware of this until they reach an advanced stage of the disease (3^✔).
• Over 90% of glaucoma cases remain undiagnosed.
• There is no existing cure for glaucoma; however, early interventions may help prevent further visual loss (2^✔).
• Depending on the type of glaucoma, the treatment strategies for it vary (1^✔).

Strategies Against Glaucoma

Initiatives like the National Eye Health Education Program (NEHEP) in association with various health educators and health professionals help construct various strategies like audience-specific programs, campaigns, eye health check-ups, resources, and tools to raise public awareness on glaucoma (3^✔).

Raising awareness helps people know more about the disease, and thereby learning about its prevention strategies and early detection will ultimately lower the rate of glaucoma-related blindness.

Bausch + Lomb and the Glaucoma Research Foundation (GRF) had also announced the U.S. launch of �Screen, Protect, Cure,' a campaign on January 3, 2023, that has been designed to raise glaucoma awareness through educational resources throughout the month (5^✔).

"We are proud to collaborate with the Glaucoma Research Foundation to provide critical information about this serious eye disease and underline the negative toll it can have if left untreated." Glaucoma can affect individuals of all ages, and only half of those affected are aware they have it, so it's important that we share risk factors, how to get tested, and what treatment options are available. "Through �Screen, Protect, Cure,' we hope to help support patients in every step of their treatment journey," says Christina Ackermann, president of Ophthalmic Pharmaceuticals, Bausch + Lomb (5^✔).

One may also join the initiative by spreading the message through social media posts like Twitter, Instagram, or Facebook using the hashtags #glaucoma, #GlaucomaAwarenessMonth (3^✔), or by raising funds for their community (5^✔).

Enshield your Vision

Early diagnosis of glaucoma can be done using a comprehensive dilated eye exam with visual field testing that may help prevent/halt the progress of the disease (2^✔). One may ensure the following healthy habits to protect their eye health and vision (4^✔):

• Get regular eye check-ups with your physician and take your medications on time.
• Eat plenty of dark green, leafy vegetables like kale, spinach, and collard greens and foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids.
• Get enough physical exercise as staying active helps ensure overall good health that fosters eye health.
• Avoid smoking or alcohol, as they can damage the optic nerve.
• Take a break every 20 minutes if you are working on a computer for a long time. For 20 seconds, try looking at a foot's distance.
• If you wear contacts, ensure that you wash your hands before putting on your contact lenses.
• Wear sunglasses or protective eyewear to protect your eyes from the sun or any activities that may harm your eyes respectively.

"Glaucoma Awareness Month provides a great opportunity to share information about this sight-threatening disease and remind people there are steps they can take to help preserve their vision," says Thomas M. Brunner, president & CEO, GRF (5^✔). This national month, gather for a novel motive of augmenting glaucoma awareness and thereby eliminating the dreadful effects of the disease.

References:

1. January is Glaucoma Awareness Month - (https:glaucoma.org/january-is-glaucoma-awareness-month/)
2. At a glance: Glaucoma - (https:www.nei.nih.gov/learn-about-eye-health/eye-conditions-and-diseases/glaucoma)
3. Glaucoma Awareness Month - (https:www.nei.nih.gov/learn-about-eye-health/outreach-campaigns-and-resources/glaucoma-resources/glaucoma-awareness-month)
4. Keep Your Eyes Healthy - (https:www.nei.nih.gov/learn-about-eye-health/healthy-vision/keep-your-eyes-healthy)
5. About January is Glaucoma Awareness Month - (https:glaucoma.org/january-is-glaucoma-awareness-month/)

Source: Medindia

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