World Glaucoma Week runs from 12th to 18th March 2017. Glaucoma is a blinding condition that affects 2% of the population over the age of 40. This rises to 10% in the over 75s in white Europeans, and glaucoma also accounts for approximately 10% of the blind register.
The risk increases if there is a family history of glaucoma, you have high pressure or ocular hypertension, or you are short sighted or of Afro-Caribbean origin. Some studies have cited high blood pressure and diabetes as potential risk factors. The hallmark of glaucoma is damage to the main nerve inside the eye, the optic nerve. The earlier the detection, the better the prognosis.
Early Detection
Early detection is generally through a combination of the patient's history and the clinical examination.
Book your glaucoma screening test with your optometrist, preferably an optometrist who is a member of the College of Optometrists with special interest and experience in glaucoma care, and who is also equipped with equipment that would aid in the early detection of glaucoma.
Eye Opticians in central Birmingham leads with eye care specialist technologies including the highly advanced Heidelberg OCT, the Visionix 118 and the latest Humphrey Visual Field Analyser 3, to mention but a few. We offer specialist glaucoma as well as macular disease screening clinics.
Glaucoma is an insidious eye condition that can lead to loss of sight if not managed appropriately. Early detection is very important, as mentioned above, for an excellent prognosis. Anti-glaucoma drops work best if the condition is detected early.
As well as delivering clinics for Eye Opticians, Mr Williams also delivers clinics in community ophthalmology in Birmingham alongside a team of consultants, mainly in the field of glaucoma and medical retina including age-related macular degeneration and diabetic eye disease, a role he has been doing for a number of years.
