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Who gets glaucoma?

Anyone can get glaucoma. This disease affects approximately 3 million people in the United States and 14 million people worldwide. It is the second leading cause of blindness in the United States and the third leading cause of blindness worldwide.
 
Glaucoma tends to run in families. If you have several family members with glaucoma, you are at a significantly increased risk of developing glaucoma. Glaucoma is more prevalent as people get older. It is also more common in people with diabetes, uncontrolled hypertension (high blood pressure), or certain other medical conditions. Your risk also increases if you are severely nearsighted or farsighted or if you have a history of certain eye conditions or eye injuries.
 
No one knows why certain ethnic groups, such as African Americans, have higher rates of glaucoma that lead to blindness. Primary open-angle glaucoma is the leading cause of blindness among African Americans and Alaskan natives, occurring 6-8 times more often than in whites, often in the earlier stages of life.