What Is Glaucoma?
4. Glaucoma and Other Associated Diseases
Although glaucoma affects the eyes, some experts say that it may be connected to other conditions. The disease, which affects about 60 million people globally, develops slowly and, generally, painlessly and is usually diagnosed when it has already caused significant damage.
The most common type of glaucoma called primary open-angle glaucoma, POAG in short, often occurs in people with high blood pressure and/or diabetes. A 2010 study comparing the medical records of 75,000 people with POAG, and 230,000 people without POAG, found that over half of those with POAG also had high blood pressure, while 30 percent had diabetes. Glaucoma is also associated with other diseases like coronary heart disease and high cholesterol.
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