The coming decades could see an exponential growth of the disease.
This is the alarm that emerged from Dr Cynthia Mattox's report to the Hawaiian Eye Congress, held in Waikoloa (Hawaii) from 16 to 22 January 2016.
The foreseeable 'tsunami' of new patients will result from the progressive ageing of the population, combined with an increasing demand for healthcare for chronic therapies. Dr Mattox observed "In tsunami-prone areas you can take refuge inland or on high ground. However, if you are smart, you might want to pick up your surfboard, go to a beach and turn the tsunami into an opportunity.". This assertion stems from an examination of data that predict a growth in the population over 65 years of age in the USA of about 46% by 2025. This increase leads to a projection of approximately 4.3 million glaucomatous patients in the US alone in 2032, with a large incidence of Hispanics.
The data, which are in themselves dramatic, stemming from demographic trends, are then combined with the dynamics directly affecting healthcare personnel and care expenditure. Indeed, in parallel with the ageing of the population, the proportion of practising ophthalmologists over the age of 55 is rapidly increasing (in 2013 they already accounted for 47.5% of the total). This is expected to reduce the total number of practising surgeons over the next decade, and in the ophthalmic field, the projected figure in the US is 7,000 fewer experienced surgeons.
The reduction in surgical personnel goes hand in hand with the trend, common throughout the world, whereby the rates at which healthcare expenditure can grow (for both political and economic reasons) are not sufficient to cover the growing care needs of an increasingly elderly population and, therefore, at higher risk of diseases requiring chronic treatment, such as glaucoma.
This situation must be borne in mind by specialists who should engage in a fundamental reorganisation of the way healthcare is delivered, with certain fundamental objectives being clear: guaranteeing patient access to care, maintaining an adequate level of performance and seeking to improve the outcomes of treatment delivered. For glaucoma specialists, this may involve redefining the roles of current staff, reprogramming workflows, forecasting future care needs and improving communication activities.
Great commitment and great responsibility, therefore, for all our frontline doctors in today's 'ageing society'!
Dr. Carmelo Chines
Direttore responsabile
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