Around 80 million people worldwide are estimated to be living with glaucoma, and this figure is expected to exceed 110 million by 2040, making early detection and access to treatment essential.
It remains one of the leading causes of blindness globally and, unlike cataracts, the visual loss it causes is irreversible.
One of the most worrying facts is that up to half of people with glaucoma are unaware that they have the condition, because they feel they can see well enough for their daily activities.
This means that millions of people are losing optic nerve function without realising it, when a simple regular ophthalmological examination could completely change their visual prognosis.
The good news is that, with current treatments and proper follow-up, blindness from glaucoma is much less common in countries with good access to eye care.
- knowing the risk factors (age, family history, high myopia, diabetes, and certain ethnic backgrounds),
- having regular eye examinations from the age of 40-50
- and following treatment consistently, as indicated.
On this World Glaucoma Day, our recommendation is very simple: if you are over 40, have a family history of glaucoma or have any doubts about the quality of your peripheral vision, make an appointment for a complete eye examination with our ophthalmologists.
An examination that brings together all the necessary tests in a single appointment, which will help you to detect this or other diseases, and which can make the difference between preserving your vision for the rest of your life and seeking help too late.
At the HC ophthalmology unit, we have Dr Antonio Alberte, an ophthalmologist specialising in glaucoma.
Head of Department, Consultant Ophthalmologist specialising in Medical Retina
March 12, 2026
Read other news
Tel.: +34 952 908 628
+34 609 148 799
952908898 Oncology
951829978 Diagnosis by imaging
951829947 Gynecology
952908897 Fertility
951829947 Physiotherapy
