Glaucoma Epidemiology

Glaucoma is a optic neuropathy, which means a progressive damage to the optic nerve caused by increased pressure on the eyes. It is the leading cause of irreversible blindness worldwide and affects between 2 and 3 million people in the United States. Glaucoma is often associated with a wide range of symptoms such as blurred vision, tunnel vision, eye redness and pain, as well as a buildup of fluid in the eyes. Glaucoma epidemiology is the study of how often the disease occurs, how it is distributed among different populations and how it progresses over time. It is important to study glaucoma epidemiology in order to gain a better understanding of the disease, to identify the risk factors associated with it and to develop effective prevention, screening and treatment strategies. In addition, this research can also help to establish the effectiveness of public health programmes, as well as to inform healthcare policies and regulations.