A leading eye surgeon is warning that two million people are at risk of losing their vision to a condition often dubbed the ‘silent thief of sight’.
As part of World Glaucoma Week (March 12-18), Newmedica ophthalmologist Mr Velota Sung is highlighting the dangers of glaucoma – the leading cause of irreversible blindness worldwide – and stressing why early diagnosis through routine eye tests is key.
With the NHS under increasing pressure, and ophthalmology being the busiest outpatient department, community opticians and ophthalmologists are well placed to support the NHS in the fight against glaucoma.
Glaucoma is a name for a group of eye conditions that cause gradual damage to the optic nerve and can ultimately lead to loss of vision if not treated.
Currently, as many as half of all cases of glaucoma go undiagnosed. If this continues, the Royal College of Ophthalmologists anticipates a 44 per cent increase in demand for glaucoma services by 2035.
Ophthamology attendances made up almost nine per cent of all NHS hospital outpatient appointments in 2019/20.
But only 64 per cent of ophthalmology patients were seen within an 18-week timeframe during the first five months of 2022 – 18 weeks being the maximum waiting time set out in the NHS constitution.
Mr Sung is Newmedica Glaucoma Lead, co-founder of the UK Paediatric Glaucoma Society, and a consultant at Birmingham and Midland Eye Centre, one of the biggest eye hospitals in the UK.
He said: “In an overwhelming number of cases, people never know they have glaucoma because it develops slowly. Typically, there are no symptoms initially. You might experience dimmer periphery vision, but our brains are so brilliant they fill in the gaps for us. Up to 50 per cent of a person’s vision could be lost and they wouldn’t notice they had a problem.
“Early intervention is essential if we’re going to cut down the risk of irreversible vision loss due to glaucoma. We therefore need a coordinated approach.
“One of the best ways to detect if you have glaucoma is by going for an eye test with an optician every two years, or more regularly if you’re in an at-risk group. If an optometrist detects signs of glaucoma they will refer you to an ophthalmologist who can coordinate treatment.”
The biggest risk factor is age. Glaucoma is most common in adults in their 70s and 80s. But you’re also at higher risk if you have a parent or sibling with it, are from African, Caribbean or Asian descent or if you suffer with another medication condition such as diabetes.
Among the well-known people affected by glaucoma have been U2 frontman Bono, actress Whoopi Goldberg, former astronaut and US senator John Glenn, and the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll, Elvis.
Mr Sung, an examiner for the Royal College of Ophthalmologists and holder of the Bronze National Clinical Excellent Award, added: “People shouldn’t think ‘that won’t happen to me’, because one in five people will suffer from sight loss in their lifetime and glaucoma is the biggest cause. We know one in five people don’t go for regular eye tests, so it’s very important that we all do if we’re to reduce our risk.
‘Glaucoma is not a disease you can cure. It’s something you have to manage, often with eye drops. Catching it early is key because these drops can slow the progression of the disease.’
Newmedica works with the NHS, GPs and opticians to help treat and manage a range of advanced eye conditions in communities, providing swift access to care and taking some of the pressure off busy NHS waiting lists. In 2022 Newmedica treated more than 16,000 glaucoma patients and 200,000 patients in total across its 28 sites across England.