- 80% of people over 18 years of age suffer from some refractive defect in Spain. Presbyopia, myopia and astigmatism are the most common eye problems. But also more serious eye problems such as glaucoma.
- Glaucoma can appear at any age: from congenital, infantile and, in the vast majority, in adults from the age of 40 onwards. Women are more prone to suffer from it.
- Glaucoma is today the second leading cause of blindness in the world.
Barcelona, March 10, 2022 – The continuous exposure to smartphone and computer screens, often without maintaining an adequate distance or conditions for viewing them, especially in the last two years, has made taking care of eye health, especially preventively, extremely important. Spanish ophthalmology is experiencing a golden moment, being a world reference in the detection and treatment of eye diseases, the development of new techniques and the application of new treatments. Moreover, according to data from the Interterritorial Council of the National Health System (CISNS), Spaniards have access to an ophthalmology specialist even before most other specialties. “To this we must also add that the technological level of Spanish ophthalmology centers, both publicly and privately owned, is among the highest in the world,” says Dr. Francisco Javier Rodríguez Martín, ophthalmologist and medical director at Clínica Nivaria and member of Top Doctors.
The high medical and technological level is fundamental, since in Spain approximately 80% of people over the age of 18 suffer from some refractive defect, according to Dr. Rodríguez Martín. Yolanda Andrés Alba, specialist in Ophthalmology and member of Top Doctors. In addition, the expert points out that presbyopia, myopia and astigmatism are the most common ocular pathologies among the population. And there are other eye problems that, although they have a lower rate of development, are quite frequent and more serious, as is the case of glaucoma. On the occasion of World Glaucoma Day, which is celebrated on March 12, the experts of Top Doctors®, an online platform for finding and contacting the best medical specialists in private healthcare, analyze this disease, which is the second leading cause of blindness in the world.
Half the people with glaucoma are undiagnosed
Glaucoma is a silent disease, which does not present symptoms until the optic nerve is very damaged, even irreversibly in 40% of cases. As a result, currently more than half of the people with glaucoma are undiagnosed, according to Dr. Jose María Martínez de la Casa, ophthalmologist and member of Top Doctors. “Failure to detect the disease or doing so in very advanced stages increases the risk of blindness due to glaucoma. In fact, between 10% and 15% of people with this eye problem lose vision in at least one eye for this reason. This is why glaucoma is known as the silent thief of sight”.
People with a family history, the population over 60 years of age, diabetic patients and those with high myopia are the profiles with the highest risk of suffering from glaucoma. “It is recommended that all direct relatives of the person with this problem have their eyes checked periodically, preferably annually. Glaucoma can appear at any age: from congenital, infantile and, in the vast majority of cases, in adults after the age of 40. In addition, women are more prone to suffer from it, although with little margin with respect to men”, assures Dr. Javier Galindo Maqueda, specialist in Ophthalmology and member of Top Doctors.
Glaucoma, the disease that cannot be cured, but can be stopped.
Complete and periodic ophthalmologic check-ups allow early detection of whether or not glaucoma exists, which helps to prevent it from causing significant visual loss once it is detected. Currently, treatments for this disease are based on simple or combined ophthalmologic eye drops, with surgical techniques ranging from the use of lasers to the implantation of prostheses and valves or fistulizing surgery.
“A lot is being invested in the development of minimally invasive and penetrating surgeries, which offer high efficacy with a better safety profile than traditional surgeries, and which also allow the patient to have a faster and less aggressive postoperative period,” explains Martinez de la Casa.
In short, it is important to have regular and complete check-ups, every two years up to the age of 40 if there is no serious visual problem, and every year after 40, in a complete manner. And always resorting to experts in ophthalmology “since only the doctor can diagnose by law, and he is the one you have to go to for it” Dr. Rodriguez Martin stresses.