epidemiology

Last reviewed 06/2022

Glaucoma is the second most common cause of blindness in adults in the UK and Ireland after age related macular degeneration (1)

  • around 480,000 people in England have chronic open angle glaucoma
    • in white Europeans - it is seen in about 1 in 50 people above 40 years and 1 in 10 people above 75 years
    • in people of African-Caribbean origin it may be more frequently seen (2)
  • other types are less common
    • acute angle closure glaucoma may be seen in around 1 in 1000 in caucasian people
    • acute angle closure glaucoma is more common in Asians with 1 in 100 being affected (2)

Glaucoma is responsible for blindness in around 6.7 million people worldwide making it the second most common cause of bilateral blindness (3)

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