Glaucoma By The Numbers
Courtesy: National Eye Institute, National Institutes of Health (NEI/NIH).
Glaucoma often has no early warning signs. It has no symptoms and causes no pain. But it can be detected early through a comprehensive dilated eye exam.
- 12-22 – Eye pressure is measured in millimeters of mercury (mm Hg). Normal eye pressure ranges from 12-22 mm Hg.
- 1 million – The optic nerve is made up of over 1 million tiny nerve fibers. In glaucoma when these nerve fibers die, you will develop blind spots in your vision.
- 2 – There are two most common types of glaucoma: Primary open-angle and Angle-closure (also called “closed-angle glaucoma” or “narrow-angle glaucoma.”
- 1 to 2 – If you are at higher risk for glaucoma, you need to get a comprehensive dilated eye exam every one to two years.
- 2.7 million – Approximately 2.7 million Americans have glaucoma.
- 50% – Of the approximate 2.7 million Americans who have glaucoma 50% know they have it and the other 50% don’t.
- 4.2 million – By 2030 it is estimated the number of American with glaucoma will rise to 4.2 million.
- 120,000 – In the U.S., more than 120,000 people are blind from glaucoma, accounting for 9% to 12% of all cases of blindness.
- 60 million – Worldwide estimated cases of glaucoma is 60 million.
- 111.8 million – The number of people with glaucoma worldwide is expected to increase to 111.8 million in 2040.
- 40 – African-American over age 40 are at a higher risk for glaucoma.
- 60 – People over age 60 are at a higher risk for glaucoma.
- 0 – Currently there is no cure for glaucoma and vision lost to the disease cannot be restored. However if caught early glaucoma can be managed to prevent additional sight loss.
Sources: National Eye Institute, Glaucoma Research Foundation Facts & Stats, Global prevalence of glaucoma and projections of glaucoma burden through 2040, The number of people with glaucoma worldwide in 2010 and 2020,