The Epidemiology of Glaucoma – an Age-Related Disease

Abstract

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.

Fazitbox

Bereits bekannt:

• Das Lebensalter ist der stärkste Risikofaktor für die Entstehung des Glaukoms.

• Unterschiede der Glaukomprävalenz bestehen zudem nach ethnischer Zugehörigkeit, dem Geschlecht und der Refraktion.

• Das Wissen über die Ätiologie, den natürlichen Krankheitsverlauf und die Rolle einzelner Risikofaktoren des Glaukoms ist noch immer rudimentär.

Neu beschrieben:

• Für Deutschland ergibt sich aktuell eine Zahl von knapp 1 Mio. Glaukomkranken, wovon ⅔ über 70 Jahre alt sind.

• Mit der demografischen Alterung der Gesellschaft nimmt die Relevanz des Glaukoms als Gesundheitsproblem der Bevölkerung zu. Die Prävalenz in der erwachsenen Bevölkerung ab dem 40. Lebensjahr steigt von aktuell 2,1% auf 2,8% im Jahr 2060.

• Herausforderungen und Chancen für zukünftige Erkenntnisse aus der Epidemiologie ergeben sich aus einer genauen Analyse der Papillenveränderungen größerer Bevölkerungsgruppen im Zeitverlauf.

Conclusion box

What we already know:

• Age is the strongest risk factor for the development of glaucoma.

• Glaucoma prevalence also differs according to ethnicity, gender and refraction.

• The understanding of etiology, the natural course of the disease and the role of individual risk factors in glaucoma is still rudimentary.

Newly described:

• The current figure for Germany is just under one million people with glaucoma, two thirds of whom are over 70 years old.

• With the demographic ageing of society, the relevance of glaucoma as a public health problem is increasing. The prevalence in the adult population over the age of 40 is projected to increase from its current 2.1% to 2.8% in 2060.

• Challenges and opportunities for future findings from epidemiology arise from a precise analysis of papillary changes in larger population groups over time.

Keywords

glaucoma - epidemiology - prevalence - incidence - Germany

Publikationsverlauf

Eingereicht: 15. November 2023

Angenommen: 30. Januar 2024

Artikel online veröffentlicht:
27. Februar 2024

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