Glaucoma Awareness Month stresses testing

January is National Glaucoma Month, and the National Eye Institute is urging those at risk for the disease to undergo ophthalmic evaluations.

Among the points the NEI is stressing to the populace are that anyone can develop glaucoma, although it tends to be more prevalent in blacks and Latinos; age is a risk factor for the disease; and symptoms are often not noticeable.

The American Academy of Ophthalmology recommends that people undergo ocular exams every 2 years if they are over 65 years old, if they are black or Latino and over 40 years old, if a family member has glaucoma, or if they have experienced a serious eye injury. The AAO is also urging people with diabetes to be screened every year.

A study by the National Institutes of Health in 2002 confirmed that early detection and treatment reduced the progression of glaucoma by as much as 50%.

According to the NIH, 5 million Americans have glaucoma, of whom only 3 million have been diagnosed.