Genetic testing is advancing the way doctors treat and diagnose glaucoma.
Head of ophthalmology at Flinders University, Professor Jamie Craig, told Vision Australia Radio’s Talking Vision that genetic marker testing is identifying people at higher risk of glaucoma.
“What we've been able to show is that if you're in the very high risk groupings of the top 10 per cent of the population, you're 15 times more likely to get glaucoma than if you're in the low risk grouping,” he said.
This on top of advances in surgery and devices in lowering eye pressure have made inroads in treating the debilitating eye disease.
Glaucoma is the build-up of pressure in the eye which can damage the optic nerve. It can sometimes go undetected, as the brain compensates for early vision loss.
Fifty per cent of people with glaucoma don’t even know they have it.
Head of ophthalmology at Flinders University, Professor Jamie Craig. Photo: Flinders University.
“This test will determine who's likely to need treatment and how quickly the doctors would put that treatment in place and how quickly patients with early glaucoma are going to get worse,” Professor Craig said.
His research is now looking at better informing the relatives of current glaucoma patients about their higher risk of glaucoma.
It’s also important to get back to routine eye checks, especially after the disruption of lockdowns and non-urgent cases being cancelled from clinics.
“I've seen one today who postponed a few times and now has very bad damage, and that could have been avoided,” Professor Craig said.
Listen to the full interview in the player below:
Read our factsheet to learn more on glaucoma.
Listen to Studio 1’s interview with INXS member Krik Pengilly and his diagnosis of Glaucoma.
Talking Vision is a weekly discussion of issues relating to blindness and low vision.
It includes stories of inspiration and achievement and information on services for the community.
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