Glaucoma is the western name for an eye disease that can cause eye pain and blindness and is the second cause of sight loss after cataracts. Early detection and treatment can prevent the eye from losing vision.

Glaucoma is dangerous in both developed and developing countries because of its latency and painless nature. In Vietnam, it is becoming more challenging as people in remote regions do not have access to eye care service.

The blindness rate is 3.1 percent for the whole population among which 6.5 percent have been caused by glaucoma. Eye drop abuse may also be cause for the disease to develop, especially through steroid induced glaucoma.

After a study by the glaucoma department, 31-33 percent glaucoma patients have a history of steroidal eye drop use without doctors’ supervision. Glaucoma patients come to hospitals late with very deteriorated sight. Patients with this kind of glaucoma are naive of the eye problem and do not strictly follow medication regimen. 95 percent of patients interviewed are not aware of glaucoma. 

Dr Do Nhu Hon, Director of VNIO emphasises the need to improve the ophthalmologic staff’s knowledge of the progression of the disease and deal with it. Many eye treatment centers are not equipped with basic facilities and lack medicine for treatment.