30 October 2017

New test may spot glaucoma early

We’ve been really excited to read about recent research from University College London, where researchers have developed a test that may spot glaucoma years – even a decade – before we notice any visual impairment.

What is Glaucoma?

Glaucoma is when the optic nerve – connecting your eye to brain – becomes damaged, leading to sight loss if not detected. As glaucoma is the main cause of irreversible blindness with around 60 million people losing their sight due to this condition worldwide, this is welcome news indeed.

Glaucoma is a treatable condition but unfortunately, it’s one which many people don’t realise they have until they’ve lost vision. Typically, people lose around a third of their sight by the time they are diagnosed, so detecting it early on, is imperative. This new test may also help stop or slow dementia by reducing pressure on the optic nerve, a key treatment to control the development of dementia.

It’s early days yet, with only 16 people being tested so far and more research needed before the test is made widely available, however the news is very promising.

Click here for more information about the glaucoma research.

Image by Pignol23 – Own work, CC BY 3.0