Munich, March 2024 – Glaucoma, glaucoma, is considered one of the most common causes of blindness. Since the eye disease often goes unnoticed for a long time, the number of undiagnosed cases of glaucoma in Germany is around 56 percent – every second person affected knows nothing about their eye problem. On the occasion of World Glaucoma Week, the German Ophthalmological Society (DOG) recommends making regular appointments with an ophthalmologist. The specialist society emphasizes that timely diagnosis and treatment can significantly slow down glaucoma and prevent further vision loss.
Glaucoma is a widespread disease that becomes more common with increasing age. Glaucoma is characterized by a painless deterioration in vision that can lead to blindness. The cause is a progressive loss of optic nerve cells, which is often only noticed late. “This is because the loss of vision increases very slowly and takes a long time to be compensated for by the brain and the other eye,” explains Professor Dr. med. Verena Prokosch from the DOG Glaucoma Section. “Due to this gradual development, the number of unreported cases of glaucoma is very high. In Germany, 56 percent know nothing about their suffering.”
As a result of the disease, patients are missing certain areas in their field of vision – i.e. in the space that we can see. It can happen that people driving do not notice pedestrians crossing the street. “Such visual field defects cannot be compensated for with glasses, contact lenses or other aids,” explains private lecturer Dr. med. Dr. rer. biol. hum. Bettina Hohberger from the DOG Glaucoma Section. “Once a deterioration in vision has occurred due to loss of optic nerve cells, it can often no longer be reversed.” In contrast, visual acuity remains unaffected for a very long time with glaucoma.
To prevent vision loss due to glaucoma, timely diagnosis and treatment are crucial. “We therefore recommend regular appointments with an ophthalmologist,” emphasizes Professor Dr. med. Stephanie Joachim from the DOG Glaucoma Section. “Especially if there is a history of glaucoma in the family, there is an increased risk of developing the disease themselves.” People with hereditary problems should consider a preventive examination from the age of 40. For early detection of glaucoma, a measurement of intraocular pressure, an examination of the nerve fiber thickness in the retina, an assessment of the optic nerve and an examination of the visual field can be carried out. “Prevention services are generally not covered by statutory health insurance companies; you have to pay for them privately,” says Joachim.
If an ophthalmological examination reveals sufficient suspicion of glaucoma, treatment usually consists of lowering the intraocular pressure. This requires individually tailored treatment concepts – various eye drops, special laser therapies or surgical options are available. “The therapy is not intended to improve vision, but rather to preserve it,” emphasizes DOG expert Prokosch. “What we know for sure from a large number of studies is that an early diagnosis can almost always prevent blindness. “You shouldn’t be afraid of glaucoma,” says Prokosch.
DOG: Research – Teaching – Health Care
The DOG is the medical-scientific society for ophthalmology in Germany. It brings together more than 8,000 members under one roof who research, teach and treat ophthalmology. The main concern of the DOG is to promote research in ophthalmology: it supports scientific projects and studies, organizes congresses and publishes scientific journals. In addition, the DOG supports young scientists in ophthalmology by, for example, awarding scholarships, especially to young researchers. Founded in 1857 in Heidelberg, the DOG is the oldest ophthalmological society in the world and the oldest specialist society in Germany.
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