Known as the 'silent thief of sight' glaucoma develops slowly and often without any symptoms, leaving people undetected until the disease reaches an advanced stage. Left untreated, it can cause vision loss and may even lead to blindness. This is why we need your help to spread the word and raise awareness.
Did you know?
- Glaucoma is a progressive eye disease and is a leading cause of irreversible blindness in Australia.
- While vision loss can’t be restored, early diagnosis and treatment can delay or halt the progression of the disease. That is why it’s so important to detect the problem as early as possible.
- It is estimated that over 300,000 Australians have glaucoma, yet 50% are unaware they have it, thinking they have healthy eyes.
- Glaucoma is hereditary - you are 10x more likely to have glaucoma if you have a direct family member with glaucoma.
- First degree relatives of a person with glaucoma have an almost 1 in 4 chance of developing glaucoma in their lifetime, and that risk increases to 56% if their glaucoma is advanced. So telling your direct family to get tested is extremely important.
If you have glaucoma, those directly related to you – brothers, sisters, sons, daughters – have an almost 1 in 4 chance of developing glaucoma too. And friends over the age of 50 are also at an increased risk. Start a conversation and ask your family and friends to book an eye test.
This campaign focuses on taking a positive, open approach to looking after your eyes. Download our easy to share campaign assets and invite your patients, family and friends to ‘treat their eyes’ to good health by booking an eye exam. It’s quick and simple, and could save your sight.
Our ‘Don’t be blindsided by glaucoma’ campaign highlights the common risk factors associated with glaucoma and urges those at risk to have their eye health checked by an optometrist every 2 years to prevent the irreversible damage caused by glaucoma if left untreated.
Glaucoma Australia has developed this quiz to help people assess their potential risk of developing glaucoma based on age, ethnicity, family history of glaucoma and other health issues such as diabetes and myopia.
While some people have a higher risk of developing glaucoma, our ambassador Kirk Pengilly from INXS is living proof that anyone can be blindsided by this insidious disease.
- How you can get helpShow lessShow more
Start a conversation to help increase glaucoma awareness:
- If you have glaucoma alert your first-degree relatives and encourage them to get their eyes checked every 2 years from the age of 40.
- Encourage anyone over the age of 50 to book an eye exam and get their eyes checked by an optometrist at least every 2 years.
- Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube or LinkedIn and share our social media posts with your family, and your networks.
- Host your own event to help raise glaucoma awareness. We’d love to hear what you have planned, email us at glaucoma@glaucoma.org.au
- Help us spread the messageShow lessShow more
Glaucoma Australia has created a suite of campaign materials and resources you can download and use to help increase glaucoma awareness and early detection.
Don’t forget to use the #GlaucomaWeek and #SavingSight hashtags.
World Glaucoma Week is a global initiative of the World Glaucoma Association (WGA) in order to raise awareness of glaucoma. Through a series of engaging worldwide activities, patients, eye-care providers, health officials and the general public are invited to contribute to sight preservation. The goal is to alert everyone to have regular eye (and optic nerve) checks in order to detect glaucoma as early as possible.