Glaucoma Facts

• Glaucoma is the 2nd leading cause of blindness in the United States, and the most common cause of blindness among African Americans.
• 4.5 million people worldwide are blind due to glaucoma; this number is expected to increase to 11.2 million by the year 2020 unless prevention efforts are intensified.
• About 90 percent of the world’s blind population lives in developing countries, where people are 5-10 times more likely to go blind than those in developed countries.
• Africa averages just one ophthalmologist for every 1.25 million people.
• Once vision is lost, it cannot be recovered.  Early treatment is essential – loss of vision can be slowed or halted with medical and/or surgical treatment.
• The average cost of care for an adult with primary open angle glaucoma is $3,000/year in the US.  Patients who cannot afford to pay often forego treatment, resulting in worsening of glaucoma and vision loss.