Common type of glaucoma associated with diabetes

A new study in the United States has investigated a possible link between the risk of glaucoma and type 2 diabetes and hypertension. It was found that people suffering from the two conditions could be at a heightened risk of developing open-angle glaucoma (OAG).
The study on potential associations between metabolic syndromen, which includes diabetes, hypertension and obesity, also investigated how each component increased or decreased the risk of glaucoma. With glaucoma being a major cause of irreversible blindness around the world, the scientists assessed information from over 2 million people that were aged 40 or more that were part of a managed care network in the United States.
It was shown that people who had diabetes alone had a 35 per cent greater chance of developing OAG, while people with just hypertension had a 17 per cent greater risk. People with both conditions experienced a 48 per cent greater risk of developing OAG.
Joshua Stei, who led the study, which was published in Ophthalmology, commented “Patients who have diabetes and hypertension are already known to be at elevated risk for eye conditions like diabetic retinopathy, a condition that harms the blood vessels in the retina.”
He added “This study reinforces the importance of regular eye examinations for patients at increased risk of glaucoma, including those with diabetes and hypertension .”