Glaucoma – the second leading cause of blindness worldwide

[6 April 2010 - 17h30]

Around 10 million people in Europe suffer from glaucoma, an eye condition responsible for 20% of cases of blindness within the European Union.

According to the World Health Organisation, glaucoma is the second leading cause of blindness worldwide, after cataracts. Caused by excess pressure inside the eyeball, this condition develops unobtrusively, often without any sign at all, continuing to the point where the pressure irreparably damages the optic nerve at the back of the eye. The field of vision is then reduced and in the final stages, glaucoma leads to blindness.

The challenge is to diagnose this condition as early as possible. And this is not easy as sufferers do not experience any symptoms. It is only by consulting a specialist and undergoing a meticulous examination using specialist equipment that glaucoma can be firmly diagnosed. Given this, the idea of having a simpler computer tool to do this job is an attractive alternative!

And a tool of this kind – making it possible to pick up the signs of glaucoma more rapidly – is currently being tested. It is downloadable to computer and relies on a dynamic examination of vision: a central white mark and several white lines appear on a grey screen; the person being examined has to look at the mark and click the mouse each time they see a line move. The lines move at the same speed but different distances over the course of the test, enabling specialists to determine the level of loss of vision.

However, at present this new test has not been definitively validated and… as yet there are no plans for it to be evaluated in France. Consequently, having regular examinations with an ophthalmologist every year from the age of 40 onwards remains the most reliable course of action. However, it is important to remember that intraocular pressure is one of the principal risk factors for glaucoma, so get this checked regularly. According to an American study, early screening for intraocular hypertension can reduce the risk of developing glaucoma by 30%!

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