A pathology that affects 2% of the Italian population, almost one million and 200 thousand people, and whose diagnosis, too often, arrives late: yet preventing it would be possible. It is glaucoma, at the center of the international congress of the Italian Association for the Study of Glaucoma (Aisg) which opened today in Milan (until March 16). “Whoever is over 40 years old – explains Professor Stefano Miglior, Professor of Diseases of the Visual System at the Bicocca University of Milan and president of the Italian Association for the Study of Glaucoma – should undergo an eye examination. Only in this way can one ascertain the presence of this pathology which unfortunately does not give symptoms and when it does give them it is often too late. A visit to a specialist therefore allows you to check if there are signs of the disease and therefore proceed with further investigations. Other solutions are completely ineffective. It is said that high eye pressure can give a fairly truthful indication but this is not the case. Indeed, relying on this parameter could even be misleading”.
The parameter that is often talked about concerns the eye pressure which, if higher than 21, could indicate that that subject is at risk: “But this is not the case – remember Miglior. There are people affected by this pathology who have a normal pressure. if we allow ourselves to be influenced by this false myth, we risk that the subject, with a normal blood pressure, may feel out of danger and perhaps decide never to be checked by an ophthalmologist, without knowing that instead he could already be affected by the disease or could develop it in the future. time.
It is estimated that 20/25% of glaucoma patients have completely normal eye pressure. Diagnostic tests suitable for carrying out an adequate screening of the population do not exist, and being examined, from a certain age onwards, is the only way to be safe”. “High eye pressure, myopia, low blood pressure and family history – recalls Professor Michele Iester, Professor of Diseases of the Visual System at the University of Genoa – are the most important risk factors for this pathology. But those who are short-sighted or those who have cases of glaucoma in the family are led to be examined by a specialist because they know they are at risk. The problem concerns the rest of the population who underestimate the danger and do not undergo the necessary checks.”
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