Epidemiology of glaucoma: what's new?

Colin Cook; Paul Foster

doi:10.1016/j.jcjo.2012.02.003

Epidemiology of glaucoma: what's new?

Can J Ophthalmol. 2012 Jun;47(3):223-6. doi: 10.1016/j.jcjo.2012.02.003.

Authors

Colin Cook¹, Paul Foster

Affiliation

¹ Division of Ophthalmology, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, Republic of South Africa. colin.cook@uct.ac.za

PMID: 22687296
DOI: 10.1016/j.jcjo.2012.02.003

Abstract

Globally, there are an estimated 60 million people with glaucomatous optic neuropathy and an estimated 8.4 million people who are blind as the result of glaucoma. These numbers are set to increase to 80 million and 11.2 million by 2020. Glaucoma is the second leading cause of blindness globally. The highest prevalence of open-angle glaucoma occurs in Africans, and the highest prevalence of angle-closure glaucoma occurs in the Inuit. Population-based screening for open-angle glaucoma is not recommended. Screening for angle-closure may be feasible.

MeSH terms

Blindness / epidemiology
Blindness / prevention & control
Female
Glaucoma, Angle-Closure / diagnosis
Glaucoma, Angle-Closure / epidemiology*
Glaucoma, Open-Angle / diagnosis
Glaucoma, Open-Angle / epidemiology*
Global Health
Humans
Incidence
Male
Prevalence