Authors:
Fatima Kyari, Oteri Okolo, Marcia Zondervan, Elizabeth Awoyesuku, Adedeji Akinyemi, Cova Bascaran
Background
Glaucoma is the second most common cause of blindness worldwide. People with untreated glaucoma suffer from irreversible, progressive loss of sight. The disease is characterised by progressive loss of visual field, with pathological cupping of the optic disc and often (but not always) increased pressure in the eye. Early stages affect the field of vision and are often not noticed by the patient. The final stage is irreversible absolute blindness.
Glaucoma treatment is primarily to lower the intraocular pressure to a ‘safe’ level through eye drops and/or laser treatment and/or surgical interventions. The highest prevalence and incidence of glaucoma exists in Sub-Saharan Africa and the Caribbean. The Nigeria national survey on blindness and vision impairment showed that the prevalence of glaucoma in Nigeria is of public health concern. The key requirements to tackle glaucoma blindness in these regions are early identification of people with glaucoma and effective long-term treatment.