Glaucoma Awareness Week Campaign

Raising Awareness and Encouraging Action

During Glaucoma Awareness Week, we focused on sharing essential information about glaucoma and encouraging both the public and healthcare referrers to seek professional help if they think they may have the condition. Here are some key facts we shared:

• Prevalence of Glaucoma: Did you know that over 700,000 people in the UK have glaucoma, and half of them don't know it? Early detection's crucial to managing this condition effectively.

• Importance of Quality Care: A recent survey revealed that 82% of optometrists believe the quality of monofocal intraocular lenses used by a surgical centre significantly impacts a patient's clinical outcome. Ensuring high standards in surgical interventions is vital for better patient results.

• Driving and Glaucoma: One common concern among those diagnosed with glaucoma is the fear of losing their driving licence. However, only 12% of people with glaucoma actually lose their licence, highlighting that many can continue driving with proper treatment and monitoring.

• Silent Progression: One of the major challenges with glaucoma is that symptoms often don't appear until it's almost too late to treat effectively. This emphasizes the importance of regular eye check-ups, especially for those at higher risk.

Why Awareness Matters

Glaucoma's a leading cause of preventable blindness, yet its silent progression means that many people remain undiagnosed until significant damage has occurred. Our campaign aimed to bridge this gap by informing the public about the risks and encouraging regular eye examinations.

What You Can Do

If you’ve been diagnosed with Glaucoma or you have a patient who has, it’s really important that the condition is monitored regularly by a specialist.

At Newmedica, we treat over 18k patients with glaucoma a year and we have over 60 consultant specialists who can provide expert support in our state-of-the-art facilities.