Awareness week focuses on glaucoma and dry eye

The impact that dry eye syndrome can have on people with glaucoma is being highlighted by the International Glaucoma Association (IGA) during National Glaucoma Awareness Week next month.

The association highlights that dry eye syndrome affects around 50–60% of people with glaucoma, yet little is understood about the condition. The IGA reports that an estimated 700,000 people are affected by glaucoma in the UK, with the majority initially treated with eye drops.

During the annual awareness week, which takes place on 4–10 June, the IGA is urging people with dry eye symptoms to seek advice from their optometrist, pharmacist or GP.

Spokesperson for the IGA, Karen Osborn, said: “Dry eye has an adverse impact on quality of life, with people saying that they cannot read, find the sunlight painful, feel unhappy and can’t even open their eyes long enough to do certain daily tasks.

“It is important that people with glaucoma raise any dry eye symptoms with their ophthalmologist, as a change of glaucoma treatment to a preservative-free eye drop often helps to reduce the symptoms of dry eye syndrome.”