Glaucoma Awareness Month: Engaging Hispanic/Latino Patients in Early Detection and Ongoing Care

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Glaucoma remains a leading cause of irreversible vision loss in the United States, and its impact on Hispanic/Latino communities continues to grow. It is widely recognized that Black, Hispanic, and Asian Americans experience a higher prevalence of glaucoma compared with non-Hispanic White Americans, contributing to persistent disparities in diagnosis, disease severity at presentation, and visual outcomes.¹

While optometrists are well versed in the clinical aspects of glaucoma, early detection and long-term disease management depend heavily on patient understanding, trust, and follow-through—areas where cultural context and communication strategies play a critical role.

Optometrists understand glaucoma’s pathophysiology; however, many patients do not fully grasp why early detection matters, what is being monitored over time, or how frequently follow-up is needed. Glaucoma Awareness Month provides an opportunity to reflect not only on how optometrists diagnose and manage glaucoma, but also on how effectively they educate, motivate, and retain patients who are at higher risk.

Encouraging Early and Regular Visits

Many Hispanic/Latino patients continue to view eye care primarily through a vision-correction lens, rather than as an essential component of overall health care. Practices can help shift this perspective by:

  • Incorporating glaucoma risk alerts into recall messaging (e.g., “Glaucoma risk increases with age and family history”)
  • Emphasizing that dilated eye exams are essential, even in the absence of symptoms
  • Encouraging family involvement (e.g., “Bring a relative who may also be at risk”)
  • Aligning glaucoma screening conversations with systemic health conditions such as diabetes and hypertension

Consistent messaging from front-desk staff, technicians, and providers reinforces the importance of preventive and ongoing care.

Improving Patient Education: Moving Beyond the “Silent Disease” Message

Many patients have heard glaucoma described as a “silent disease,” but this phrase alone can unintentionally reduce urgency. Consider reframing conversations to emphasize risk, monitoring, and partnership.

Strategies that resonate with patients include:

  • Explaining what you are monitoring over time (optic nerve appearance, OCT findings, visual fields), rather than focusing solely on intraocular pressure
  • Using plain language to describe progression (e.g., “damage that cannot be reversed, but can usually be slowed”)
  • Reinforcing that lack of symptoms does not equal lack of disease
  • Personalizing risk based on age, family history, and comorbidities such as diabetes or hypertension

Visual aids, side-by-side imaging, and repeated explanations across visits can significantly improve patient understanding and recall.

Culturally Responsive Care: Building Trust

Research consistently shows that limited awareness and understanding of glaucoma contribute to delayed diagnosis and late presentation, increasing the risk of preventable vision loss.²  When patients feel heard, respected, and informed, they are more likely to return for follow-up care and adhere to treatment recommendations.

Culturally responsive care may include:

  • Providing bilingual educational materials and translated after-visit summaries
  • Confirming understanding using teach-back techniques
  • Allowing time for questions, particularly for patients who may hesitate to ask
  • Recognizing the role of family in health decision-making

High-quality patient education resources are available in both English and Spanish, including:

Glaucoma Research Foundation

National Eye Institute (NEI)

Moving Awareness Into Action

Glaucoma Awareness Month is a reminder that clinical expertise and advanced diagnostic technology, while essential, are only part of the solution. Meaningful progress in reducing preventable vision loss—particularly within Hispanic/Latino communities—requires addressing the communication and access barriers that contribute to late presentation and disease progression.

By pairing clinical care with intentional patient education, proactive outreach, and culturally responsive communication, optometrists can strengthen engagement before, during, and after the exam. During Glaucoma Awareness Month and beyond, embedding these strategies into everyday practice offers a powerful opportunity to improve early detection, support long-term adherence, advance eye-health equity, and preserve vision.

References

  1. Davuluru SS, Jess AT, Kim JSB, Yoo K, Nguyen V, Xu BY. Identifying, Understanding, and Addressing Disparities in Glaucoma Care in the United States. Translational Vision Science & Technology. October 2023.
    https://tvst.arvojournals.org/article.aspx?articleid=2792962

National Eye Institute. Glaucoma. Evidence indicates that limited awareness and education contribute to late diagnosis and vision loss from glaucoma.
https://www.nei.nih.gov