In my first year at a primary care and specialty referral practice in Memphis, Tennessee, I have treated patients at every stage of glaucoma.
Our patients come from Tennessee, Mississippi and Arkansas, all of which have above-average rates of diabetes, hypertension and heart disease, so it is common for us to see complex cases with diabetic eye disease or central retinal vein occlusion as well as primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG).
About 75% of our patients are African American, facing a four to five times higher rate of POAG, faster progression of glaucoma and thinner corneas compared with