Vision Loss after Glaucoma Diagnosis Is More Likely in Black Patients

A study published in Translational Vision Science and Technology using data from the New York Eye and Ear Infirmary of Mount Sinai (NYEE) found that following a glaucoma diagnosis, Black patients were six times more likely than White patients to experience progressive vision loss.  

According to the CDC, “Glaucoma is a group of diseases that damage the eye’s optic nerve and can result in vision loss and even blindness.” Approximately 3 million people in the United States have glaucoma. Globally, it is one of the top leading causes of blindness.  

The risk of developing glaucoma increases with age, comorbidities, and numerous other factors.  

While there is no cure for glaucoma, early diagnosis and treatment can prevent further disease progression and additional vision loss.  

Based on information from the National Eye Institute, treatment for glaucoma can include medication, laser treatment, and surgery. All three interventional approaches aim to reduce intraocular pressure and prevent eye damage.  

Using artificial intelligence algorithms, researchers in the study “break down visual field loss in new-onset glaucoma cases among United States-based population groups,” as stated in the Mount Sanai Press release.  

While Black patients made up only 1.3% of the population in this investigation, their risk of developing early visual field loss was twice as much as white patients. Furthermore, they were six times as likely to develop advanced visual field loss.  

Like Black patients, Asian patients made up only 1.2% of the study population but had an early visual field loss risk double that of White patients.  

“We suspect that the reason why Blacks presented with more advanced patterns of loss compared to Whites is because the disease starts one to two decades earlier in the former group compared to the latter group. This emphasizes the importance of early screening strategies in Blacks to identify early-onset glaucoma so that visual disability in this population is averted,” speculated Louis R. Pasquale, MD, FARVO, Deputy Chair for Ophthalmology Research at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai and Director of the NYEE Eye and Vision Research Institute, to Mount Sinai Medical Center. 

Regardless of the exact reason for this discrepancy, the data suggests that Black patients should undergo more rigorous screening as they are at higher risk.  

According to the National Eye Institute, patients at increased risk for glaucoma should get a comprehensive dilated eye exam every year or every other year. Glaucoma is not curable, but understanding the risk of disease development and progression can help providers implement early interventions and improve overall quality of life.