2009 World Glaucoma Day

World Glaucoma Day Highlights Eye Disease that Affects More Than 325,000 Canadians

March 12, 2009, marks the second World Glaucoma Day, a global initiative to raise awareness of glaucoma – one of the most common eye diseases among older people and the second leading cause of blindness in older North Americans.

Glaucoma affects more than 325,000 Canadians – numbers that can be expected to increase as the population ages. Unfortunately, many people with glaucoma are unaware that they have it until there is a large amount of irreversible vision loss.

World Glaucoma Day is an opportunity for the media to highlight the importance of glaucoma awareness, early detection, and treatment options.

The Glaucoma Research Society of Canada is the only charity in Canada dedicated solely to glaucoma research. Among experts on its Board is Dr. Neeru Gupta, a scientist specializing in glaucoma research. Dr. Gupta is also the Director of the Glaucoma Unit, Department of Ophthalmology, St. Michael’s Hospital/University of Toronto.

She is available to discuss glaucoma, its risk factors, and treatment options.