[Reducing blindness and visual impairment from glaucoma is an important component in the prevention of blindness]

Abstract

International ophthalmological societies and World Health Organization (WHO) have recognized the severity of glaucoma problem and the importance for promoting the glaucoma control worldwide. WHO has taken some measures to reinforce the global prevention of blindness from primary glaucomas. The rationale to deal with the glaucoma problem is that glaucomas produce a significant global public health burden at present, and glaucoma can be effectively treated once detected according the evidenced-based practice protocols for glaucoma management. Taking the glaucoma control as the priority for prevention of blindness means not only apply the clinical path, but also apply public health path and integrate various levels of ophthalmic manpower to deal with glaucoma problem. That is a great change in the prevention and management of glaucomas. Screening and early detection of glaucoma cases is very important in glaucoma control. At present, enhancing opportunistic case detection has been used to find more undiagnosed and untreated glaucoma cases, since evidence regarding the benefits of population-based screening is currently lacking. The scope of intervention strategies for glaucoma control should be matched with the local socio-economic status, thus the initiative for glaucoma control can be smoothly developed and progressed.