[Blindness caused by glaucoma].

The different forms of glaucoma constitute one of the major causes of nonreversible blindness in the industrialized as well as the undeveloped world. Reliable epidemiological data are rare since there are no screening concepts that would be valid for all countries in the same way. The prevalence of open-angle glaucoma in the industrialized world is at least 1.7% in the population over 40 years of age. Race has considerable influence on the relative frequency of the different types of glaucoma, whereby the risk of blindness is especially high in the black glaucoma patient. The number of patients who have gone blind from glaucoma differs in the literature from roughly 5% to 33%. Blindness from glaucoma can be prevented by early diagnosis and therapy, which is again greatly dependent on the economy in developing countries. The immediate efficacy of therapy is directed towards IOP reduction. Long-term therapeutic success, however, must be measured against the preservation of visual function and in this respect against the eradication of glaucoma-induced blindness. The socioeconomic significance of the disease is discussed with reference to a few examples from different countries.