Undertreatment of Glaucoma among Black Americans

GLAUCOMA is the second leading cause of irreversible blindness in the United States and the most common cause among black Americans. 1 2 3 It has long been noted that black patients are overrepresented among those attending glaucoma clinics. 2 Data from the 16-state Model Reporting Area indicate that blindness due to glaucoma is eight times more common among blacks, 1 and the Baltimore Eye Survey found that the prevalence of blindness due to glaucoma was six times higher among blacks. 3 The age-adjusted prevalence of open-angle glaucoma among black residents of Baltimore who are of Medicare age is 7.84 percent, as compared with 1.96 percent . . .