Glaucoma is a leading cause of blindness worldwide, disproportionately affecting those in Africa. Surgery is the best treatment option for glaucoma in developing areas like Ethiopia, as eyedrops are too expensive for most. The ASCRS Foundation's Robert Sinskey Eye Institute in Ethiopia will begin a surgical glaucoma initiative to treat patients, as many may face blindness without access to treatment.

1. Glaucoma is the leading
cause of irreversible
blindness worldwide.
Africa is disproportionally
affected compared to the
rest of the world.

2. • Surgery is the best choice for treating
glaucoma in the Developing World.
• The ASCRS Foundation’s Robert Sinskey
Eye Institute in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia,
will begin a surgical glaucoma initiative
later this year (2011).

3. The foundation recently
interviewed Dr. Alan Crandall,
Senior Vice Chairman of
Ophthalmology and Visual
Sciences at the University of
Utah. Dr. Crandall has made several trips to
Africa to train local ophthalmologists and is
a past ASCRS president.

4. “…glaucoma is a major
cause of permanent
blindness in Africa.
“The principle problem is
that there are very few doctors or facilities
where people can be treated. So the actual
incidence of glaucoma is not well‐known.”

5. Glaucoma eye‐drops are
not an option in Africa.
A month’s dose of pressure‐
reducing drops in the U.S.
might cost $100.
That’s a full year’s income for the average
Ethiopian and there are no pharmacies near
the villages where the patients live.

6. A surgical approach is the
best avenue for treating
glaucoma patients in poor
areas, like Ethiopia.
Treating glaucoma requires the
ophthalmologist to reduce the patient’s eye
pressure to a safe range.

7. The surgical method offers a
better chance for long‐term
success in instances where the
ophthalmologist gets only a
single opportunity to treat the
glaucoma patient.

8. The Robert Sinskey
Eye Institute’s lead
ophthalmologist, Dr. Kefyalew,
estimates that 25% of his
patients have some form of glaucoma.
Without treatment, those patients may face
eventual blindness.

9. The Sinskey Eye Institute
will need instruments and
equipment to test for
glaucoma and perform surgery,
along with medications for post‐
surgical care.

10. For more information about the ASCRS
Foundation’s surgical glaucoma initiative in
Ethiopia, or to make a donation to help with
the foundation’s humanitarian work, visit
www.eyedonate.org