Glaucoma is most frequently associated with increased pressure in the eyeball (called intraocular pressure, or IOP). There is no cure for glaucoma and treatment aims to limit progression of the disease. If left untreated, irreversible, progressive vision loss occurs and may result in blindness. Glaucoma encompasses a group of eye diseases that involves progressive damage to the optic nerve, which transmits electrical signals from the eye to the brain. Worryingly, 50% of cases remain undiagnosed and untreated and a significant number of people don’t even know what glaucoma is. Glaucoma affects some 150,000 people in Australia. It affected more than 57.5 million people in 2015 and this figure is projected to rise to 65.5 million people in 2020. This is a basic screening test for glaucoma, an eye disease that is the second leading cause of blindness worldwide (after cataracts). If you’re one of the millions of Australians who regularly see an optometrist, you’re probably familiar with having your eye pressure checked as part of a comprehensive eye examination.
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