World Glaucoma Week Press release

The Pan African Glaucoma Association is please to participate in World Glaucoma Week! This is a great opportunity to educate everyone about Glaucoma. Unfortunately glaucoma continues to be a leading cause of blindness in persons of African descent globally. The good news is that we have new ways to detect glaucoma, obtain earlier treatment with better surgical options to help prevent glaucoma and loss of vision from glaucoma. (www.panafricanglaucoma.com)

As we mark the world glaucoma week celebration, March 10-16, 2024, we at PAGA are calling on every person of African descent to rise and get your eyes checked by an eye doctor. The aim of PAGA during this World Glaucoma Week celebration is to prevent glaucoma related disability in Africa and the diaspora. Be sure when you go to your doctor you ask to know your eye pressure, and corneal thickness. You can enter this data on this glaucoma calculator link to see if you are at higher or lower risk for glaucoma. (https://www.advancedeyecareny.com/laroche-glaucoma-risk-calculator)

Glaucoma is the leading cause of irreversible blindness in the world. Africa is a one of the continents with substantial burden of glaucoma. The prevalence of glaucoma in Africa is twice that of global prevalence. People of African descent are 5 times more likely to develop glaucoma and 6 times more likely to go blind from Glaucoma. Yet 90% of people of African descent do not know they are living with the disease. In Africa, only 1 in 20 is aware that he/she is living with glaucoma. Often times, 50% of the people have lost vision in one eye at presentation to the doctor. Glaucoma in persons of African descent has an earlier onset and runs an aggressive course as compared to their counterparts in other parts of the world. The low level of awareness and late presentation to eye care providers are major obstacles to preventing disabilities due to glaucoma.

The good news is that with early uncomplicated cataract and microinvasive glaucoma surgery we can lower eye pressure to reduce the risk for blindness. In patient with advanced glaucoma trabeculectomy and glaucoma tube shunt surgery works very well to help preserve remaining vision in many people. This calls for all persons of African descent to rise up and get involved in preserving your eyes/ your sight/ your independence. A regular eye check will uncover the silent thief of your eye sight and surely secure your sight, preserve your right to independence and uphold self sustenance. As we celebrate the World Glaucoma week, 2024, we are calling on everyone to take charge of your eye health and seek an eye screening at an eye centre near your home and get your eyes tested. If you have a relative who is blind or have poor sight, get your family members involved in the glaucoma screening activities. Having glaucoma amongst a family member increases the chance of getting glaucoma by 10 fold. It is time now to act, seek eye care and stay sighted. Let’s get tested and be free from glaucoma related disability, NOW.