'Demographic timebomb' as glaucoma cases projected to surge

Action needed now to help eye patients, say researchers

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Cases of glaucoma, a common eye condition that can cause blindness if left untreated, are projected to rise by 60 per cent in the UK by 2060.

Researchers said the increase is a "demographic timebomb" that will require "serious planning and action now" to ensure future patients have timely diagnosis and treatment.

It comes as new analysis found more than one million people in the UK may have glaucoma, which is higher than previous estimates.

Experts stressed the importance of annual eye checks for people in middle age, and called for awareness campaigns to be rolled out to address late diagnosis.

Glaucoma causes damage to the optic nerve, which connects the eye and the brain, and is most common in people over the age of 50.

It does not usually have symptoms and develops slowly over many years.

Researchers from UCL and Moorfields Eye Hospital said previous estimates suggest about 700,000 people in the UK are living with glaucoma, but this figure "may not reflect the current population structure".