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Genetics
Family
history of glaucoma in focus
A Public Health Message for Australia
Glaucoma Australia has announced that genetics and family history are
the focus for National Glaucoma Week, 20-26 July 2003. The theme ‘Don’t
lose sight of your family’, encourages proactive talk about the
increased risk of developing glaucoma within families
and the importance of regular eye checks for relatives over 40 years
of age.
The theme drives home the message that if families don’t inform
one another about the presence of glaucoma even among remote relatives,
it may put eye health in jeopardy. If left undetected it
can lead to irreversible blindness. It’s worth a bit of time chatting
to relatives and visiting an eye care practitioner.
According to Beverley Lindsell, National Executive Officer of Glaucoma
Australia, families are great sources of knowledge
about our medical histories.
“Glaucoma is one of those health conditions where there are no warning
signs or symptoms to prompt a visit to a professional. “The public health
message is, if you’re over 40, and have a family history of glaucoma,
see your eye care practitioner for a simple eye check.” she said. Contemporary
research into glaucoma supports the call to action.
One of the defining studies of the last decade, the Blue Mountains Eye
Study (BMES), is being revisited this year to investigate the prevalence
of glaucoma in the community and key factors influencing diagnosis and
treatment.
Key Outcomes: family history is a risk factor. BMES investigator Dr
Paul Healey, who works on the study with Chief Investigator Paul Mitchell
at the University of Sydney, Centre for Vision Research, supported the
Glaucoma Awareness call for education about the familial risk factor
for glaucoma.
“In simple terms, if you know someone in your family has glaucoma (or
had it before they passed away), you are about 3 times more likely to
have it yourself and your likelihood of developing it increases as you
age,” said Dr Healey. “Unfortunately, many people with glaucoma don’t
realise that simply telling their relatives about their condition and
encouraging them to get a screening, could reduce the long term prospects
of vision impairment among their loved ones,” he added.
This release was written by Reed Weir Communications on behalf of
Glaucoma Australia. The project was made possible with an educational
grant from Pharmacia Ophthalmology.
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