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Glaucoma has slowly robbed David Clark of his sight.

The father-of-two has had to take early retirement, quit reading and even avoid the city centre.

The retired scientist is one of tens of thousands of Scots suffering progressive loss of sight, with 1,340 people having been diagnosed in Dundee alone.

Glaucoma a condition where the optic nerve which connects the eye to the brain becomes damaged is the second largest cause of blindness in the UK.

And, according to the Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB) Scotland, it is estimated that almost half of those affected do not even know they have it. David spoke to the Tele ahead of World Glaucoma Week, which starts on Sunday.

The 71-year-old from Downfield said: I have always had poor eyesight. But it didnt stop me for many years.

By 1980, I was beginning to feel symptoms, particularly pressure in my eyes and white spots.

I was diagnosed with glaucoma and prescribed eye drops. I used them religiously I was only in my mid-thirties. But by 2001, my vision had deteriorated significantly and I had to take the early retirement opportunity that was offered. It became too difficult to do my job I was a biomedical scientist in haematology and it was a major thing for me.

My eyes were so important to my job. Of course it was disappointing, very disappointing. However, I had about six months to get used to it.

But not being able to drive and difficulty moving around when its dark, are difficult to deal with.

It can be tricky going into town. Places like the bottom of Reform Street, where you have people going in all directions and sometimes fast, can be really tricky. The entrances to the shopping centres can be tough as well. I tend to avoid those areas now its become too difficult.

Everything is slow and steady with glaucoma. My eyes and vision have just deteriorated little by little to where we are now.

David has lost all sight in his right eye and only has 25% in his left eye.

He has had three operations to try to steady the deterioration; a surgical procedure called trabeculectomy, used in the treatment of glaucoma to relieve pressure in the eye.

They have not been very successful for him, but he said the procedure was often a great success.

David wants to encourage people to be aware of the condition and seek treatment as soon as possible.

He added: In some ways, its the people who have great eyesight who are most at risk.

This is because theyre less likely to get regular eye tests.

Glaucoma is often first diagnosed by an optician.

RNIB Scotland director Campbell Chalmers said: Glaucoma has been nicknamed the sneak-thief of sight because its effects are usually unnoticeable until a relatively advanced stage.

By then the damage is done. Glaucoma doesnt have any symptoms in its early stages so people can lose up to 40% of their sight before they realise they have a problem.

We need to ensure that people are diagnosed early so that they do not reach the stage where sight loss is irreversible.

Regular eye tests, which are free in Scotland, are vital if glaucoma is to be detected early and sight loss prevented.

See more here:
'Glaucoma has stolen my sight', says former scientist David - Evening Telegraph

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