Glaucoma is the most common neurodegenerative disease of the optic nerve, with a prevalence of about 3%.1 This means that about 150 000 Australians, about 75% of whom are aged over 70, have glaucoma. This number will double over the next 30 years as our population ages.2 After macular degeneration, glaucoma is the second most common cause of irreversible blindness in our community,3 and the commonest cause of preventable blindness.
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- 1 Sydney Eye Hospital, University of Sydney, and Save Sight Institute, Sydney, NSW.
- 2 Department of Ophthalmology, Centre for Vision Research, Millennium Institute, Westmead, NSW.
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