Glaucoma, a disease that causes damage to the optic nerve, is a leading cause of irreversible blindness and poses a significant public health problem. Primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG), the most common form of the disease, affects about 2-3% of the adult population aged 40 and older in the U.S. Moreover, multiple studies indicate that Black/African American and Hispanic/Latino people are at higher risk of developing glaucoma.*

Higher risk for African Americans

Results of the landmark Baltimore Eye Survey showed that the prevalence of glaucoma was:

• 4% in African Americans ages 50-59
• 13% in African Americans ages 80-89

Adjusting for age, African-Americans were:

• Three to four (3-4) times more likely to have a diagnosis of glaucoma compared to White people
• More likely to develop the disease at an earlier age
• More like to have a more progressed form of it at the time of diagnosis

Reasons for this higher risk are uncertain, though some experts think that structural differences in the optic nerve between people of African and people of European descent may be a factor. The African Descent And Glaucoma Evaluation Study (ADAGES) found such structural differences between these two groups, including a larger optic nerve area in healthy eyes in people of African descent. A larger nerve can interfere with getting a glaucoma diagnosis.

Higher risk for Hispanic and Latino people

Similarly, the Los Angeles Latino Eye Study (LALES) showed that Hispanics are at increased risk of open-angle glaucoma (OAG). The prevalence of POAG in the participants, most of whom were of Mexican ancestry, was similar to that of African Americans. 

In the study, 75% of Latinos with glaucoma were previously undiagnosed, which may be a result of most patients not having health insurance. LALES also confirmed that blood pressure is closely related to glaucoma. Patients with very high blood pressure and very low blood pressure tend to have higher eye pressure, which is a major risk factor for glaucoma. 

Another study estimated that, by 2050, more than 7.3 million people will have OAG, with the highest number still among women aged 70-79, but there will be a shift towards Hispanic people becoming the most affected group. This study predicted that Hispanic men will become the largest demographic group with glaucoma.

Steps you can take to decrease your risk

Since glaucoma is age-related, a diagnosis is often made over a period of years, so regular eye doctor visits are critical. This is especially true if you have multiple risk factors for developing glaucoma, such as:

• Family history
• High or low blood pressure,
• Diabetes
• Extreme nearsightedness
• High intraocular pressure

Getting a comprehensive eye exam, with pupil dilation, is recommended by the age of 40.

*Ou, Y. (2018, July 11). Glaucoma in the African American and Hispanic Communities. BrightFocus Foundation. https://www.brightfocus.org/glaucoma/article/glaucoma-african-american-and-hispanic-communities

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