Kiwis 40+ Urged To Get Their Eyes Tested This Glaucoma Awareness Month

March is New Zealand’s Glaucoma Awareness Month, and the charity, Glaucoma New Zealand are encouraging all Kiwis aged 40+ to get regular eye health checks to catch glaucoma, aka the ‘Sneak Thief of Sight’, and prevent this insidious eye disease from stealing vision. Glaucoma New Zealand’s annual awareness month also coincides with World Glaucoma Week, a global initiative to raise awareness and encourage testing for glaucoma from 12 to 18 March.

Most people don’t realise that over 50,000 Kiwis have glaucoma and are not aware of it. Glaucoma is a group of eye diseases that damage the optic nerve and are New Zealand’s leading cause of irreversible blindness. As glaucoma appears in many different forms, and in its early stages can show no symptoms, the best way to catch glaucoma is through regular eye exams at an optometrist. Any eyesight loss from glaucoma can’t be reversed with treatment, but with early identification, disease progression can be slowed.

Professor Helen Danesh-Meyer, Chairwoman of Glaucoma New Zealand, says that “Many of us turn 40 and have no idea that it’s time to prioritise eye health, but from this age onwards you are at a higher risk of developing glaucoma.

“The best way to catch glaucoma early and protect your vision for future years, is by having regular eye exams, including an optic nerve test, which are simple and painless. If you’re 40 or over, get regular eye health checks at your local optometrist and together let’s catch glaucoma and save our sight.”

Throughout March, thanks to the support of this year’s Glaucoma Awareness Month sponsors - Specsavers, AbbVie, OPSM, and Glaukos, Glaucoma New Zealand are calling for Kiwis to help them to catch the glaucoma 'Sneak Thief of Sight', and reduce unnecessary blindness for thousands throughout the country.

Donations to Glaucoma New Zealand not only support glaucoma education, and people living with glaucoma, but they also fund ground-breaking glaucoma research in New Zealand.

Visit glaucoma.org.nz/glaucoma-awareness-month to learn more about Glaucoma Awareness Month and to donate to join Glaucoma New Zealand’s fight for sight.

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