Moorfields Eye Hospital Dubai highlights the importance of glaucoma awareness

Glaucoma is a group of eye diseases that cause progressive damage of the optic nerve. If left untreated, most types of glaucoma result (without warning or obvious symptoms to the patient) in increasing visual damage and may lead to blindness.

Once this has happened the visual damage is permanent, which is why glaucoma is described as the 'silent blinding disease' or the 'sneak thief of sight'.

"This worldwide initiative is an opportunity for Moorfields Eye Hospital Dubai to highlight the importance of glaucoma awareness, early detection and treatment options in the UAE," says Dr Chris Canning, CEO and Medical Director of Moorfields Eye Hospital Dubai.

"Screening for the disease and then compliance with the treatment regime are two important messages for the community. Glaucoma occurs in about three per cent of the global population and is the second leading cause of blindness in many developed countries. For the UAE with a population of around 4.4 million, this means that around 132,000 people are potentially suffering from glaucoma - most of them without knowing they have the disease, which can result in blindness," he adds.

Glaucoma currently affects more than 65 million people worldwide - a number that can be expected to increase as the population ages. Unfortunately, many people with glaucoma are unaware that they have it until there is a large amount of irreversible vision loss.

There is no cure for glaucoma yet, but eye drops or surgery (conventional or laser) can halt or slow-down any further vision loss. Research aims to uncover the mechanisms or the nerve damage and the role of genes. Early detection is essential to limiting visual impairment and preventing the progression towards severe visual handicap or blindness.

An eye-care professional can detect glaucoma in its early stages. In most cases, glaucoma appears after the 4th decade of life, and its frequency increases with age. There is no clearly established difference in glaucoma incidence between men and women. Other risk factors include genetics and family history, and other conditions including diabetes, which is very common in the UAE.