World Glaucoma Week: help protect people’s sight
| Posted on: | Sunday, 7th March, 2021 |
It’s World Glaucoma Week… did you know that an estimated 4.5 million people are blind due to glaucoma? Keep reading to find out everything you need to know about this eye condition, including how your support can Light up Lives and prevent people from going irreversibly blind.
What is glaucoma?
- Glaucoma is the 2nd largest cause of blindness in the over 50s (4th overall).
- Almost 8 million people have vision loss due to glaucoma.
- Often caused by high pressure in the eye.
- Symptoms include blurred vision, intense eye pain, headaches and loss of vision.
- Damage is irreversible, so it must be identified & treated early on to prevent sight-loss.
Diane Louise Jordan speaks out
“Nobody should needlessly lose their sight to conditions like glaucoma”. Broadcaster and CBM supporter Diane Louise Jordan has spoken about her father’s experience of glaucoma and highlighted the urgent need for greater access to sight-saving diagnosis and treatment.
Last February, Diane travelled to Rwanda to see CBM’s sight work first-hand. There, she met Vincent (73) who has glaucoma and she heard about the challenges he faces because of the disease. Watch Diane and Vincent’s encounter (open link in new tab):
You can fight glaucoma and protect people’s sight
Worldwide, a shocking 3 out of 4 people who are blind don’t need to be. You can Light up Lives by enabling people in the world’s poorest places to see again through sight-restoring surgery, eye treatments and glasses. This includes treatment for blinding conditions like glaucoma, such as eye drops to reduce high eye pressure.
Together, we can protect the sight of people like Vincent… before it’s too late.
Public donations will support CBM’s work preventing blindness and transforming lives wherever the need is greatest. Match funding from the UK government will improve access to sight-saving eye-health services in Zimbabwe.
Images: Top – Sister Liliosa receives treatment for glaucoma at CBM’s partner hospital in Tanzania ©CBM/Hayduk. Bottom – Diane Louise Jordan meeting Vincent at his home in rural Rwanda ©CBM/Tugwell.
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