Prepare for Glaucoma epidemy ................................

[Chris Ryser]

Glaucoma to become an ‘epidemic’ in UK by 2050

Author: Joe Ayling
Published: 16/03/2018

Health Experts from the National Eye Research Centre have said that the number of formally diagnosed cases in the UK is likely to exceed 1.28 million over the next 30 years – an increase of 85% on today – and with many more people living undiagnosed with the condition.


Mike Daw, CEO of the National Eye Research Centre, said: ‘We’ve found that while detection rates are increasing over time, the symptomless nature of glaucoma in its early stages means that in 2050, almost two million people maybe affected.’

source:
https://www.opticianonline.net/news/...-in-uk-by-2050

[Robert Martellaro]

The OTC reader market has contributed to this problem for decades. DIYers and online ophthalmic care will unfortunately add another layer of negligence, resulting in increasing rates of preventable, permanent vision loss and blindness. It might take a couple cases of severe vision loss with a senator's family member or friend before federal or state lawmakers regulate who can prescribe eyeglasses- optometrists and ophthalmologists, or tablet/smart phone apps.

Robert Martellaro

[King of the Lab]

Mike Daw, CEO of the National Eye Research Centre, said: ‘We’ve found that while detection rates are increasing over time, the symptomless nature of glaucoma in its early stages means that in 2050, almost two million people maybe affected.

Maybe all 2 million were on the receiving end of an online refraction and therefore this went un-diagnosed.

[pknsbeans]

Robert, that sounds dreamy.

I'm still waiting for people to come in to my office EXPECTING a dilated examination instead of a couple of quick "ones....or twos" and a puff of air.

But I still get dirty looks when asking if I can dilate. And worse yet, many never had it done before.

[ThatOneGuy]

OCT has been widely implemented in the marketplace, so I have to believe the increase of diagnosis is due to far earlier/more detection, not an increase in the disease. While many places don't offer screening level OCT, many others do, and are able to far better manage the disease. At any rate, these kinds of proclamations are always mathematical guesses based on biased reporting, so pay more attention to the trend than the quantities. They may be radically under or over the actuals.

[Robert Martellaro]

Robert, that sounds dreamy.

Somebody must have slipped some cannabis candy into my candy dish.

I'm still waiting for people to come in to my office EXPECTING a dilated examination instead of a couple of quick "ones....or twos" and a puff of air.

But I still get dirty looks when asking if I can dilate. And worse yet, many never had it done before.

Sigh, it not as disruptive as a colonoscopy, although it's almost always sunny when I'm dilated. Still, cancer, blindness, both preventable...who needs that kind of trouble?

Best regards,

Robert Martellaro

[fjpod]

The OTC reader market has contributed to this problem for decades. DIYers and online ophthalmic care will unfortunately add another layer of negligence, resulting in increasing rates of preventable, permanent vision loss and blindness. It might take a couple cases of severe vision loss with a senator's family member or friend before federal or state lawmakers regulate who can prescribe eyeglasses- optometrists and ophthalmologists, or tablet/smart phone apps.

Robert Martellaro

I'm seeing this in my practice now. Second patient in two weeks with .8 cups and no clue anything was wrong. Only came in because his PCP wanted a diabetic report, and he was perfectly happy using OTCs.

eyecare in the US....race to the bottom.

[rbaker]

The good news is that with recreational marihuana being legalized we may see a reversal in this alarming trend.
The bad news is that obesity will run rampant across the fruited plains.