New York Eye and Ear Infirmary Marks World Glaucoma Day With Eye Screening of United Nations Staff

Hospital Joins with International Community to Emphasize Importance of Early Detection for Millions Worldwide

NEW YORK, March 12 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ – In an effort to combat one of the leading causes of blindness worldwide, The New York Eye and Ear Infirmary marked World Glaucoma Day, March 12, 2009, with an eye screening for hundreds of United Nations officials — ambassadors, deputy ambassadors, the secretary general and staff — at the UN headquarters building in New York City on March 11th, 2009.

(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20090312/DC82657)

Of some 400 persons screened, 17 were found to have glaucoma and another 62 had conditions predisposing to glaucoma.

New York Eye and Ear was supported in this effort by ophthalmologists and staff of The Glaucoma Foundation and the Friends of the Congressional Glaucoma Caucus Foundation.

“Glaucoma is a global disease and because glaucoma strikes so silently and gradually, it is absolutely crucial to educate people about the value of early detection,” said Robert Ritch, MD, professor and chief of glaucoma services at The New York Eye and Ear Infirmary.

Dr. Ritch is also Medical Director and Chairman, Scientific Advisory Board, of The Glaucoma Foundation and co-founder of the World Glaucoma Patient Association.

“It is hoped that a high-profile venue such as the United Nations will raise international awareness that about 90% of blindness from glaucoma can be prevented by early detection and treatment,” said Dr. Ritch.

Known as “the sneak thief of sight,” glaucoma is characterized by gradual loss of vision resulting from death of the cells in the eye which transmit visual images through the optic nerve to the brain. As the optic nerve becomes increasingly damaged, permanent vision loss occurs and can result in blindness. Early detection is the key to treating and halting the effects of glaucoma.

Glaucoma is the second leading cause of blindness in the United States and leading cause in African-Americans. Because glaucoma has no symptoms in its initial stages, about 50% of persons with glaucoma are unaware that they have it, while this number can reach 90% in developing countries.

Persons at high risk for glaucoma should have their eyes examined for the disease at least every two years by an eye care professional. Persons most at risk include those with a family history of glaucoma, African-Americans over the age of 40, people who are very nearsighted or farsighted, and all persons over the age of 60.

In the early stages of glaucoma, there may be no symptoms and vision can appear to be normal until a large amount has been lost. If undetected and untreated, glaucoma will gradually claim all peripheral vision and move on to cause total blindness.

With early detection, glaucoma can be treated with eye drops to lower intraocular pressure. Other methods include laser and operative surgery. Treatment can usually halt the disease, but it cannot reverse the damage that has been done. Glaucoma can develop in one or both eyes.

Eye care institutions and local patient support groups in 70 countries on every continent planned 1,000 similar awareness, educational and screening events for World Glaucoma Day.

About The New York Eye and Ear Infirmary:

Founded in 1820, The New York Eye and Ear Infirmary is the first specialty hospital in the Western Hemisphere. It is also one of the largest providers of primary through tertiary eye care in the U.S. with more than 19,000 eye surgeries and 125,000 ophthalmology outpatient visits yearly.

SOURCE The New York Eye & Ear Infirmary