Immediate Treatment Helps Delay Progression Of Glaucoma

Immediate treatment helps delay progression of glaucoma. The director of the National Eye Institute (NEI), one of the Federal government's National Institutes of Health and co-sponsor of the study. "Unfortunately, glaucoma has no early warning signs, and many affected patients are unaware they have the disease until it has advanced. Once people have lost vision from glaucoma, it cannot be regained. However, early detection and timely treatment would help to save the vision of thousands of people each year."

Dr. Sieving also notes that the study results provide important new medical knowledge on the course of the disease, both among treated and untreated patients. "Because most people are treated for glaucoma as soon as they are diagnosed, little is known about the natural history of the disease," he said. "Future reports from the study will add further important information on glaucoma progression and its risk factors." The study -- called the Early Manifest Glaucoma Trial -- followed 255 patients, aged 50-80 years, with early stage glaucoma in at least one eye.

(Source: APBiscom)