World Glaucoma Day 2021 will be celebrated on March 12. Whereas World Glaucoma Week 2021 runs from March 7 to March 13 all across the world. This year's theme of Glaucoma Week explains that with regular eye tests, people can continue to see the world around them by avoiding blindness. Glaucoma is also commonly referred to as black cataract or syphilis. This disease gradually ends the vision by serious and continuous damage to the optic nerve (nerve responsible for the eyesight). If this disease is not treated in time then the person may become blind. One of the other important factors is the increase in eye pressure, but cataract can develop even if a person has normal eye pressure.

World Glaucoma Day 2021 Date and Significance

Glaucoma is an eye disease that can go on forever if you are negligent in terms of the treatment. World Glaucoma Day aims at spreading awareness about the disease and also help work towards early diagnosis and better treatment. World Glaucoma Day campaigns are held around the world on March 11. Generally, the disease is found more among people above 35 years of age. If it is identified in the beginning, then the patients with glaucoma can be saved from blindness.

Glaucoma Causes

  • High intraocular pressure in the eye

  • Age

  • Family History

  • Certain medical conditions such as diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure and sickle cell anaemia

  • Eye conditions such as myopia

  • Certain types of eye surgery

  • Use of long-term prescription drugs, eye drops in particular.

Glaucoma Symptoms

  • Pain

  • Headache

  • Nausea

Glaucoma Risk Factors

  • Family history

  • Diabetes

  • Age- 40 years or above

  • Inability to see in the dark.

  • Seeing different colours in the light

  • Asthma and Arthritis

  • Eye wound or surgery

Chances of getting glaucoma increase after the age of 40 years. After the age of 40, go for regular eye checkups. People of this age may feel that their eyesight is becoming weaker due to a cataract, but it may be that the weakness of the eyes is due to glaucoma. In such a situation, the advice is that after the age of 40, keep the eye routine checking.

A new study led by QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute and Harvard Medical School has significantly increased understanding of the genetics of glaucoma, identifying 44 previously unknown genes linked to a person's risk of developing the degenerative eye disease.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Mar 11, 2021 08:05 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).