According to researchers in the UK, people with lower incomes are more likely to develop glaucoma!
Although the national health system of countries such as England and Australia provide care with little or no charge, the researchers say that the population should be approached differently, depending on their socio-economic status.
Studies show that there is a correlation between high incidence of glaucoma and low socioeconomic status, so that the incidence of the disease seems to decrease as people's income increases.
A recent study, which took data from a bank in England, involved 112,690 people aged 40-69. Of the participants 1.7% had glaucoma. The incidence of glaucoma was significantly higher in Asians (2.1%), and in the black race (3.3%). However, no significant difference in the incidence of the disease was observed between yellow and white race or between people of mixed ethnicity or other ethnicities with white race.
The researchers also found a correlation between annual income and glaucoma. The rate of glaucoma was higher among people with lower incomes, and decreased as income increased.
Based on these results, the researchers wanted to look deeper into the socioeconomic factors that may influence high levels of glaucoma. Such factors include unemployment, not owning a car or a house and living with several people in the same house.
Previous research has also shown that people on lower incomes in the UK are more likely to seek treatment once the condition has progressed. The same can happen to people who live in remote areas, have no car access, have left education at an early age or do not own their own home, according to the researchers.
Similar results have also been reported in Canada, where an association was found between living in poorer neighbourhoods and seeking treatment for advanced glaucoma. Geographic mapping studies have also shown that deprived areas are largely devoid of eye and optometric services.
Similarly, a study in Pakistan showed that cataract surgery and intraocular lens insertion was higher in more affluent areas than in poorer areas.
The present study adds to the previous findings, showing that the incidence of glaucoma decreases as the income levels of people increase. The same finding certainly applies to other conditions such as coronary heart disease. However, the researchers point out that these associations are largely driven by health-related behaviours, physical activity, smoking, alcohol, fruit and vegetable consumption.
Although the health system provides eye care at low cost, people with lower incomes face barriers such as poor knowledge of eye health, concerns about the cost of glasses, distrust of ophthalmologists and optometrists, and limited access. These barriers, according to the researchers, may explain why the ’poorest“ people start treatment for glaucoma when the condition has reached an advanced stage.
As the research abroad continues, we can understand how important primary health care is in our country. Both outreaches to remote villages in our country and to underdeveloped areas can help prevent and diagnose serious conditions such as glaucoma. Also the relocation of health services to areas of need could also help in raising public awareness. In any case, people with a family history of eye disease or those who notice changes in their vision should seek help from their nearest ophthalmologist in order to have the condition treated immediately.
More information in the article published in Ophthalmology Times at: http://ophthalmologytimes.modernmedicine.com/ophthalmologytimes/news/glaucoma-more-common-people-lower-income
