The Epidemiology of Glaucoma - an Age-Related Disease.

BACKGROUND

Epidemiological studies describe the distribution of glaucoma and its risk factors in the general population.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

Epidemiological findings from population-based studies were extrapolated for the situation in Germany, in order to estimate current and future prevalence of glaucoma by using official population statistics for Germany.

RESULTS

The prevalence of glaucoma in the adult population above 40 years of age is currently 2.1%, resulting in 980 thousand subjects with glaucoma, plus at least one more million subjects with ocular hypertension (OHT). Two thirds of all glaucoma cases are above 70 years of age. By 2060, the prevalence of glaucoma will increase to 2.8%, due to the aging of the population.

CONCLUSIONS

Despite a decrease in the population size, glaucoma will become more prevalent in the future.