Health Screening

Sponsored by:  ESFNA - UC Berkeley Ethiopian Alumni (BEA) - DR. Mammo - Roger Martin  

Where:  San Jose State University

                                                 Date: Saturday- July 3, 2010

                        Time:  12pm- 6pm

         What Glaucoma disease is?

Glaucoma is an eye disease that leads to damage to the optic nerve, which serves to transmit vision stimuli from the eye to the brain.  The risk factors for the disease include race (African-descent), age (increased risk with increased age), high intraocular pressure and thin central corneal thickness. 

      The impact of Glaucoma disease? 

Glaucoma represents a significant public health problem. Glaucoma affects more than 67 million people in the world, and approximately 10% of them are estimated to be blind from glaucoma. It is the leading cause of irreversible blindness in the world. In the United States, glaucoma affects more than 2.2 million people, and is the second leading cause of blindness in adults over the age of 40 (the first is macular degeneration).Glaucoma represents a significant public health problem. Glaucoma affects more than 67 million people in the world, and approximately 10% of them are estimated to be blind from glaucoma. It is the leading cause of irreversible blindness in the world. In the United States, glaucoma affects more than 2.2 million people, and is the second leading cause of blindness in adults over the age of 40 (the first is macular degeneration).Glaucoma represents a significant public health problem. Glaucoma affects more than 67 million people in the world, and approximately 10% of them are estimated to be blind from glaucoma. It is the leading cause of irreversible blindness in the world. In the United States, glaucoma affects more than 2.2 million people, and is the second leading cause of blindness in adults over the age of 40 (the first is macular degeneration).

Glaucoma is not a single disease. There are different types of glaucoma. Glaucoma can be broadly divided into two categories depending on whether or not the drainage angle (called trabecular meshwork) in the front of the eye (called anterior chamber) is open. The angle is formed by the juncture of the cornea and iris. The trabecular meshwork is where the eye fluid (called aqueous humor) normally drains out of the eye. If the drainage angle is open on examination, the patient is said to have “open-angle” glaucoma. If the drainage angle is closed on examination, the patient is said to have “angle closure” glaucoma. Refer to the next chapter (Chapter 3) for detailed description of the eye anatomy, as it relates to glaucoma.
Epidemiology (study of disease in populations) of the open-angle glaucoma is sufficiently different from the angle closure glaucoma that each warrants a separate discussion. Glaucoma represents a significant public health problem. Glaucoma affects more than 67 million people in the world, and approximately 10% of them are estimated to be blind from glaucoma. It is the leading cause of irreversible blindness in the world. In the United States, glaucoma affects more than 2.2 million people, and is the second leading cause of blindness in adults over the age of 40 (the first is macular degeneration).Glaucoma represents a significant public health problem. Glaucoma affects more than 67 million people in the world, and approximately 10% of them are estimated to be blind from glaucoma. It is the leading cause of irreversible blindness in the world. In the United States, glaucoma affects more than 2.2 million people, and is the second leading cause of blindness in adults over the age of 40 (the first is macular degeneration).Glaucoma represents a significant public health problem. Glaucoma affects more than 67 million people in the world, and approximately 10% of them are estimated to be blind from glaucoma. It is the leading cause of irreversible blindness in the world. In the United States, glaucoma affects more than 2.2 million people, and is the second leading cause of blindness in adults over the age of 40 (the first is macular degeneration).Glaucoma poses a significant public health problem as the vision loss. Glaucoma typically begins from the peripheral area progressing to central vision resulting in “blindness”, and hence may not be noticeable to the patient until it is too late.  It is estimated that 67 million people worldwide, and 2.2 million people in the United States, suffer from glaucoma, with about 10% of these patients blind from the disease.  The key issue is to undergo early screening and treatment to reduce one’s risk of blindness from glaucoma. 

     What demographic is prone to the disease? 

African Americans are 4 to 8 times more likely to have glaucoma than Caucasians, according to the Baltimore Eye Study.  For more information, read: http://www.glaucomafoundation.org/Risk.htm 

      Why Ethiopians need to be aware of the disease- How it affects     the Ethiopian Community - both abroad and in the US? 

Based on our preliminary screening data of the Ethiopian community in Minneapolis, MN and Bronx, NY, it appears that Ethiopians seem to possess a higher risk of glaucoma similar to African Americans in the United States.  

             For more information, please visit:  www.BerkeleyEthiopianAlumni.edu