How Common is Glaucoma?
It is difficult to give an accurate answer to this question. The numbers of those afflicted actually depend on the definition of glaucoma, on the ethnic group being studied and on the population’s mean age. Figures indicate that, on average, 2% of the general population over the age of forty is afflicted with glaucoma, but only half of these people are aware of their condition. When only older populations are considered, the numbers are significantly higher.
It is estimated that about 70 million people worldwide have relevant glaucomatous damage. The condition is now the second most common cause of preventable blindness (after cataract) in the world. At least seven million glaucoma patients are blind in both eyes and this number is increasing.
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