Glaucoma Awareness Month

Glaucoma is characterized by a group of eye diseases that cause damage to the optic nerve and visual field. The human eye is filled with a clear liquid which is made continuously and then drained away, always keeping the same amount of liquid in the eye. When the opening that allows the liquid to drain is closed, more and more liquid will build up in the eye increasing the pressure.

Over time, this increased pressure can damage the eye and cause reduced vision and then blindness which cannot be reversed. It's very common for glaucoma to present with no symptoms, and once vision is lost, it's permanent. This is why it's so critical to get regular eye screenings to detect the eye condition as early as possible.

In communities around the world, our long-term goal is to increase the quality of eye care for everyone, including better access to screenings and capacity in managing glaucoma once it's diagnosed.

TRAINING & INNOVATION

Through our global projects, our expert volunteers are providing invaluable training to eye health teams around the world to better understand and treat glaucoma, both in-person and online through our telemedicine platform, Cybersight.

STRENGTHENING EYE HEALTH SYSTEMS

The best way to prevent sight loss caused by glaucoma is by early detection and diagnosing through routine eye screenings. Around the world, we're building infrastructure and scaling up capacity to provide better access to eye health services including eye screenings.

During Glaucoma Awareness Month, we'd like to pay a special thanks to all of our volunteers, partners and supporters who have enabled us to improve the quality of eye care for people impacted by glaucoma around the world.

With your ongoing support, we've been able to detect and manage this leading cause of avoidable blindness more effectively, and prevent further damage to the sight of people already living with glaucoma.