World Glaucoma Day observed on 12th March.

Why in news?

• World Glaucoma Day is annually observed across the globe on 12th March to create awareness about Glaucoma, the one of the most common cause of irreversible blindness.
• World Glaucoma Week(WGW), a global initiative of the World Glaucoma Association (WGA) and World Glaucoma Patient Association is also annually observed to create awarenss about Glaucoma.
• The week highlights glaucoma as the leading cause of preventable irreversible blindness worldwide. WGW 2022 is celebrated from 6th to 12th March 2022.
• Theme: The theme of WGW 2022 is “The world is bright, save your sight”.

About Glaucoma

• Glaucoma is a group of eye conditions that damage the optic nerve.
• lt is a chronic, progressive, degenerative disorder of the optic nerve that produces characteristic visual field damage.
• It can occur at any age, but it is most common in older adults.
• It is estimated that around 80 million people have glaucoma worldwide. Approximately 50% of individuals with glaucoma are unaware that they have the disease.
• The World Health Organisation (WHO) has estimated that 4.5 million people are blind due to glaucoma.
• In India (2019), glaucoma is the leading cause of irreversible blindness, with at least 12 million people affected and nearly 1.2 million people blind from the disease.