Don't Leave Your Vision to Chance on World Glaucoma Day

London (ots/PRNewswire) -

- Leading Glaucoma Experts Act to Help Prevent Vision Loss as 50
Percent of Patients Remain Undiagnosed

LONDON, March 5 /PRNewswire/ --

On the first World Glaucoma Day (March 6, 2008), leading glaucoma
experts globally are asking those who may be at risk of the condition
not to leave their vision to chance - with a clear message that 50
percent of people with open-angle glaucoma and more than 50 percent
of people with angle-closure glaucoma are unaware they have
it.(1),(2) In addition, 50 percent remain untreated until a large
amount of irreversible vision loss has already occurred.(1)

During World Glaucoma Day, experts are encouraging patients at
risk for glaucoma to utilize resources from sources like the All Eyes
on Glaucoma(TM) campaign, which aims to help people recognize and
understand the devastating consequences of glaucoma - the world's
second leading cause of blindness. The All Eyes on Glaucoma campaign
also seeks to increase public awareness of risk factors for glaucoma
and reinforce the critical importance of having regular, complete eye
examinations. One key component of the campaign is the interactive
consumer website, http://www.AllEyesonGlaucoma.com, which offers
tools such as an "Am I at Risk" quiz and a "Conversation Starter" on
important questions to ask at the eye doctor.

World Glaucoma Day is a joint initiative by the World Glaucoma
Association (WGA) and World Glaucoma Patient Association (WGPA)
designed to promote awareness of eye health and the importance of
regular eye examinations to reduce the onset of glaucoma. Due to the
rapidly growing aging population, the prevalence of glaucoma is
expected to rise from 60 million in 2010 to 80 million in 2020
globally.(3)

"World Glaucoma Day offers an opportunity to send a clear message
about preventing glaucoma and helping preserve vision- although
glaucoma may affect all age groups, individuals at risk and those
over age 40 should have regular, comprehensive eye exams that include
careful evaluation of the optic nerve and measurement of eye
pressure," said Dr. Robert Weinreb, President of the American
Glaucoma Society, Past President of the WGA and Distinguished
Professor of Ophthalmology at the University of California, San
Diego, USA. "Since vision loss from glaucoma is permanent, glaucoma
needs to be diagnosed and treated as early as possible."

Important Steps to Proactively Protect Your Vision

Step 1: Learn the Risk Factors

Since glaucoma may not have any early symptoms, the first step in
preventing glaucoma is to learn the risk factors and to discuss them
with an eye health professional. The primary risk factors for
glaucoma include:(4)

- Increasing age

- High eye pressure (or intraocular pressure/IOP)

- Family history of glaucoma

- African and Chinese ancestry(5)

- Nearsightedness

- High blood pressure(6)

Step 2: Get a Complete Eye Examination

For all individuals, especially those at high risk of developing
and losing sight from glaucoma, the World Glaucoma Association
recommends getting a regular, complete eye exam that includes tests
that measure eye pressure, assess the optic nerve and test visual
field, including the following:

- Tonometry: Measures eye pressure which should be tracked over
time

- Optic nerve exam: Evaluates the optic nerve structure

- Visual Field test: Visual field (or peripheral or side vision)
measures the entire area you can see while looking at a fixed point

Impact of Functional Vision Loss

The consequences of vision loss due to irreversible optic nerve
damage can greatly affect one's independence, such as the ability to
drive and perform basic daily activities due to sensitivity to light,
problems with glare, blurred vision and trouble seeing in dark
places. According to the American Journal of Ophthalmology, quality
of life is also greatly affected.

In fact, nearly 35 percent of newly diagnosed glaucoma patients
reported symptoms of nervousness, anxiety or stress.(7)

"In addition to a greater risk of disability, delayed diagnosis
of glaucoma results in increased healthcare costs for both the
individual and society as a whole," said Professor Roger Hitchings,
Professor of Ophthalmology, University College London and Consultant
Ophthalmic Surgeon, Moorfields Eye Hospital, London, England. "It is
crucial to elevate the importance of eye health now to reduce the
burden of functional vision loss later as the aging population
continues to grow."

About All Eyes on Glaucoma

The campaign All Eyes on Glaucoma(TM) is sponsored by Pfizer
Ophthalmics and encourages at-risk individuals to understand more
about glaucoma and the practical steps that need to be taken to
preserve eye health and prevent optic nerve damage. The global
educational program offers an informative website,
http://www.alleyesonglaucoma.com, that provides online resources and
support to help people take action now and avoid the negative
consequences of vision loss later.

About Pfizer Ophthalmics

Pfizer Ophthalmics, a division of Pfizer Inc, is committed to
preserving sight and eliminating preventable blindness. Pfizer
Ophthalmics discovers, develops and provides leading treatments in
ophthalmology to support patients who are at risk of blindness or
suffering from vision impairment, and to serve the health care
professionals who treat them. Its current product line includes the
most prescribed treatment to lower elevated eye pressure in patients
with ocular hypertension (abnormally high eye pressure) or open-angle
glaucoma. Pfizer Ophthalmics also markets a treatment for neovascular
age related macular degeneration outside the U.S. This same treatment
is marketed in the U.S. by (OSI) Eyetech.

Notes to Editors:

Glaucoma is the name given to a series of devastating diseases
that irreversibly damage the eye's optic nerve. If left unchecked,
this can result in serious vision loss over time. Glaucoma is
commonly detected by measuring the pressure in the eye, also known as
intraocular pressure (IOP). When eye pressure increases over time,
the optic nerve becomes damaged. Worldwide, an estimated 6.7 million
people are blind from glaucoma, with approximately 70 million people
living with the condition.(8)

The two most common forms of glaucoma are:

- Open-angle glaucoma - when the pressure in the eye increases
over time due to poor drainage of the aqueous humor.

- Angle-closure glaucoma - when the iris is too close to the
drainage canal (trabecular meshwork).

The only modifiable glaucoma risk factor is high eye pressure,
though it is possible to develop the condition without it. Due to the
build-up of natural fluid produced by the eye, high eye pressure
causes permanent damage to the optic nerve, the "cable" used by the
eye to communicate to the brain. High eye pressure may exist without
noticeable symptoms so many people do not know they have it if their
vision is not checked regularly. In fact, people may not notice
vision loss until 40 percent or more of their optic nerve has been
damaged.(9) IOP is an easily identifiable risk factor; however people
who fall within the normal IOP range may still be at risk for
glaucoma.

---------------------------------

(1) World Health Organization. Bulletin of the World Health
Organization. In Focus. Nov 1, 2004. Available at:
http://www.who.int/bulletin/volumes/82/11/feature1104/en/. Accessed
July 16, 2007.

(2) Thomas R, Sekhar GC, Parikh R. Primary angle closure
glaucoma: a developing a world perspective. Clinical & Experimental
Ophthalmology 2007; 35(4): 374-378(5)

(3) Quigley HA, Broman AT. The number of people with glaucoma
worldwide in 2010 and 2020. Br J Ophthalmol. 2006; 90: 262-267.

(4) The Glaucoma Foundation. Who's At Risk? Available at:
http://www.glaucomafoundation.org/Risk.htm. Accessed on August 24,
2007.

(5) World Health Organization. Bulletin of the World Health
Organization. In Focus, Nov. 1 2004

(6) U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Guarding Against Glaucoma.
Available at: http://www.fda.gov/fdac/features/995_glaucoma.html.
Accessed on August 24, 2007

(7) Jampel HD, Frick KD, Janz NK. Depression and Mood Indicators
in Newly Diagnosed Glaucoma Patients. American Journal of
Ophthalmology. 2007; 144(2): 238-244.e1.

(8) Congdon NG, Friedman DS, Lietman T. Important Causes of
Visual Impairment in the World Today. JAMA. 2003; 290: 2057-2060.

(9) American Family Physician. Open-Angle Glaucoma - May 1, 2003.
Available at: http://www.aafp.org/afp/20030501/1937.html. Accessed
August 8, 2007.

ots Originaltext: All Eyes on Glaucoma Campaign
Im Internet recherchierbar: http://www.presseportal.de

Contact:
For more information please contact: Con Franklin: +44-20-711311313,
con.franklin@resolutecommunications.com.


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