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For everyone,
especially African Americans, glaucoma is a threat that can be very
serious, yet, for many, easy to detect.
Fortunately, regular eye exams, prompt diagnosis and proper
treatment are the keys to helping to control glaucoma and preventing
further damage to the eye.
According to a published study in Investigative Ophthalmology
& Visual Science, African Americans can develop glaucoma six to ten
years earlier in their lives than Caucasians.
In a separate study, the Baltimore Eye Survey found that
African Americans are four to five times more likely than Caucasians to
develop the disease during their lifetime and lose their vision at least
six times more often than Caucasians.
"Glaucoma is the leading cause of blindness among
African Americans," said Eve Higginbotham, M.D., Professor and Chair
of Ophthalmology at the Maryland Center for Eye Care at the University of
Maryland. "Some experts suggest this predisposition to glaucoma is
genetic. However, since no one knows for sure, education, early diagnosis
and appropriate treatment are the best ways to combat the disease."
Identifying glaucoma early by regular routine eye exams is
the key to treating this condition because there are no specific warning
signs until damage to the optic nerve in the eye has already occurred.
Damage from glaucoma, often associated with an increased pressure inside
the eye, is irreversible and may eventually lead to blindness.
"I believe it is essential for those people at risk,
especially African Americans over the age of 40, to have a comprehensive
eye exam regularly," said Harry A. Quigley, M.D., Director of the
Dana Center for Preventive Ophthalmology at the Wilmer Institute, Johns
Hopkins School of Medicine. "However, glaucoma can be diagnosed in
African Americans as young as 20, so periodic eye exams even at
a young age are ideal."
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