World Glaucoma Week aims to create greater awareness of the condition and highlight the importance of sight preservation, indicated by the campaign’s green ribbon. This week provides the opportunity to spread the word, whether it is encouraging eye examinations or discussing your family history to help prevent irreversible vision loss.
To mark this awareness week, Consultant Ophthalmic Surgeon Gokulan Ratnarajan shares his advice on the condition known as the “silent thief of sight”.
What is glaucoma?
Glaucoma is a condition in which the optic nerve becomes damaged, leading to increased pressure inside the eye. It is the most common cause of irreversible blindness in the UK and the world, but because the visual loss is slow and often has no symptoms, the condition often doesn’t get picked up until you see an optician.