Warning of spike in glaucoma cases with 'demographic timebomb' to hit Britain

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.

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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”.

Using the most recent census data, the team estimates that 1.1 million people in the UK currently have the condition, the equivalent of 3 per cent of the population over the age of 40.

This is estimated to rise to 4 per cent among people of African descent, and 11 per cent in people over the age of 85.

Lead author Professor Paul Foster, a UCL Institute of Ophthalmology researcher and consultant ophthalmic surgeon at Moorfields Eye Hospital, said: “Glaucoma is a common cause of blindness, but it isn’t symptomatic until its later stages, so regular tests are important for early diagnosis.

“Previous studies have estimated that half of glaucoma cases are undiagnosed, and this is even higher among some ethnic minority groups who are more likely to experience delays in diagnosis.

“Late diagnosis comes with a higher risk of sight loss and higher costs of care; over 40 per cent of glaucoma patients in the UK experience vision loss that could have been prevented with earlier diagnosis and treatment such as eye drops or surgery.”

Elsewhere, the study – published in the British Journal of Ophthalmology – suggests that glaucoma cases in the UK will rise to 1.6 million by 2060 based on population predictions from the Office for National Statistics.

This finding underscores the need to expand ophthalmology services to meet the expected rise in demand, researchers said, as well as ensuring people have access to specialist eye care.

Prof Foster added: “Our findings show that there will be a large increase in glaucoma cases in the UK, so there’s a growing need to expand eye health services to meet this demand, including specialist care and diagnostic capacity.

“Awareness campaigns encouraging people to get their eyes checked are also needed as part of targeted early detection strategies, particularly to address late diagnosis in underserved, hard to reach populations.

“For people in midlife onwards, it’s important to get your eyes checked annually by your optician, to detect changes that haven’t yet caused any symptoms.”

Joanne Creighton, chief executive of Glaucoma UK – which commissioned the research, said: “This new study reveals a reality where over one million adults aged 40 and above are currently living with glaucoma – many of them without knowing, and potentially losing sight which they will never be able to recover.

“This landmark study also predicts a 60 per cent increase in glaucoma cases by 2060, rising from just over one million to 1.61 million. This is a demographic timebomb, and we need serious planning and action now to prepare to diagnose, treat, and support these future patients.

“These findings highlight why routine eye tests are more important than ever before.”

It comes as Independent MP Shockat Adam, who works as an optometrist, urged the Department for Health to tell Integrated Care Boards (ICBs) to commission community glaucoma services using high street opticians, which would improve referral times and waiting lists.

Mr Adam referred to the condition as a “thief of sight” because it “changes lives quietly and often without warning”. He said the current set-up with hospital-based care can lead to follow-up appointments being postponed, and people’s vision deteriorating.

Introducing a private members’ bill in Parliament, he said it could end a postcode lottery in care.

He said: “Patients are losing their sight, not because care doesn’t exist, but because the pathway is broken and the follow-up is delayed.”