As a continuous effort toward driving disease awareness, Allergan, an AbbVie company, shed light on the need for early diagnosis and treatment for glaucoma, on the occasion of World Sight Day on October 13^th, 2022.

Globally, glaucoma is the second leading cause of blindness after cataracts but is one of the commonest causes of irreversible blindness. It is estimated to cause blindness in 4.5 million people worldwide, whereas in India, out of approximately 12 million people who are suffering from glaucoma, 1.2 million people are already blind owing to this disease. Unfortunately, glaucoma is largely undiagnosed, with more than 90 percent of untreated cases. 

Currently, early diagnosis and appropriate treatment of glaucoma is possible with medicines, surgery, or laser treatments, so that further vision loss can be prevented or if already present, it can be stabilized in most cases.

A comprehensive eye examination includes a vision check, examination of the optic nerve, the measurement of eye pressure, and tests such as perimetry and OCT (Optical coherence tomography) in cases of suspicion.

Highlighting the need for timely treatment, Dr Rishi Jain, Medical Director, Allergan, an AbbVie Company, said, “India faces a considerable challenge in terms of eye care, including poor coverage and access to quality services for prevention, treatment, and rehabilitation. A shortage of trained eye care service providers and poor integration of eye care services into health systems is a leading cause for the growing concern of vision loss.”