West Sussex charity 4Sight Vision Support is supporting World Glaucoma Week from 6th to 12th March 2022, a global initiative of the World Glaucoma Association aiming to raise awareness on glaucoma.
Glaucoma is the name given to a group of eye conditions which can cause sight loss and affects about two people in every hundred over the age of 40 with the risk increasing with age. Glaucoma is usually a slow progressive disease which can affect sight quite seriously without being noticed often only identified when attending an optician for a routine eye examination. If left untreated, glaucoma can cause blindness therefore early detection is vital.
4Sight Vision Support provides support and specialist information to blind and sight impaired residents throughout West Sussex, including people living with glaucoma. One of its key services is to promote the importance of regular eye health checks – in the case of glaucoma, with early treatment, the damage may be limited and sight may be saved.
4Sight Vision Support hopes that by raising awareness of glaucoma, it will encourage all of us to have a regular eye examination – a vital health check that can detect a number of conditions and prevent avoidable sight loss.
CEO Kirstie Thomas said:
“World Glaucoma Week is an opportunity to raise awareness of having regular eye health checks. It is important to understand that initially most people with glaucoma are not aware of it and have zero symptoms. Catch the disease early and you have a great chance of preserving your vision for the years to come.”
It is estimated that there are over 2 million people living with sight loss in the UK, and over 35,000 people living with sight loss or low vision in West Sussex (RNIB West Sussex Data 2020).
To find out more about glaucoma and the importance of taking care of your sight, or how 4Sight Vision Support can support you or someone you know living with sight loss, call 01243 828555 or visit http://www.4sight.org.uk
Photo: 4Sight Vision Support