World Glaucoma Week 2023: Submit Your Activity Now!

“The world is bright, save your sight”. With World Glaucoma Week less than two weeks away, now’s the time to join us in spreading the word and raising awareness about glaucoma. The World Glaucoma Association (WGA) continues to promote early glaucoma testing through World Glaucoma Week.

Submit your Glaucoma Week activity now and help us reach our community in all corners of the world.

The World Glaucoma Association (WGA) aims to generate awareness and help individuals preserve their eyesight through World Glaucoma Week. This initiative puts the spotlight on glaucoma to educate, inform and encourage action throughout communities on a global scale. World Glaucoma Week helps to bring awareness to the prompt diagnosis and treatment of glaucoma to prevent needless vision impairment in those who don’t realise they have the disease. Highlighting glaucoma as a growing public health concern encourages the public to advocate for governments to instigate the necessary eye healthcare systems in communities that can’t readily access care.  Follow this hashtag to keep up with all the latest news and events in #glaucomaweek.

From March 12-18 2023, World Glaucoma Week will bring together an international community of committed patients, care providers and members of the public to advocate awareness and action towards glaucoma diagnosis. Early diagnosis through regular eye-health checks is the key goal to preserving sight.

Recent developments in treatment advancements provide promising news for people with glaucoma.  Glaucoma, known as the “sneak thief of sight,” is the leading cause of irreversible blindness across the globe. With every 1 in 50 Australians developing glaucoma in their lifetime while over 50% not realising they have it, the threat of glaucoma is becoming increasingly important for individuals to be aware of. Read more about the risks, identification and treatment of glaucoma.

Recent medical advancements which have made this diagnosis a less daunting experience will also be shared this year. Several glaucoma treatment advancements have recently been approved, while others are still in development.

Prescription eye drops remain the primary treatment for the early stages of glaucoma. They successfully help to regulate ocular pressure and prevent or minimise damage to the ocular nerve. However, they can come at a financial or physical cost due to expensive prices and the potential for side effects. For those who traditionally require more than one series of drops per day, advancements have led to the combination of multiple prescription drops into one combined treatment. In addition to this, new administration techniques are currently under development, including a small plug to be placed in the tear duct, an inner eyelid ring, and even contact lenses could all be slow-release medication solutions for glaucoma treatment.

Beyond initial treatment, the options for treatment traditionally came in the form of invasive surgical procedures to help lower the eye’s pressure. But all that is changing, as less invasive surgical options, have been developed in recent years allowing doctors to treat patients earlier and with greater care. Minimally/Micro-Invasive Glaucoma Surgery (MIGS) procedures allow fluid to drain from the eye by implanting a small device to assist in regulating eye pressure.

World Glaucoma Week Infographic

The goal of World Glaucoma Week is to raise awareness of this condition, which aids in promoting research into eye diseases and potential advancements in glaucoma treatment.

At Best Practice Eyecare, our ophthalmologist Sunshine Coast team is led by Dr Karpa, a Fellow of RANZCO, a comprehensive Ophthalmologist and expert in Ophthalmology Sunshine Coast. Whatever the diagnosis, the team at Best Practice Eyecare can help you identify the best treatment option for your case, understand your condition, help you manage it and stop the progression of the disease.

Based in the beautiful coastal suburb of Golden Beach, Dr Karpa and this expert team provide eye care services of the highest standard with a relaxed, friendly patient-focused approach. We service patients across all areas of the Sunshine Coast including Caloundra, Kawana, Mooloolaba, and Maroochydore. As a leading cataract surgeon, eye specialist and ophthalmologist Sunshine Coast, Dr Karpa treats a wide range of eye conditions such as cataracts, glaucoma, macular degeneration, dry eyes, and flashes & floaters.