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Geographic Disparities in Access to Glaucoma Surgery: Lessons from a Nationwide Registry Study
Jeppe Nygård Samuelsen1, Christina Eckmann-Hansen1, Jens Rovelt1
1Department of Drug Design and Pharmacology, University of Copenhagen, 2100 Copenhagen, Denmark.
Journal of Clinical Medicine
|June 12, 2026
Summary
Glaucoma diagnosis and surgical care access varies significantly by region, even in well-funded systems. This geographic disparity in eye care needs careful planning to meet future demographic shifts.
Area of Science:
- Ophthalmology
- Public Health
- Health Services Research
Background:
- Glaucoma is a leading cause of irreversible blindness globally.
- Timely diagnosis and equitable surgical access are crucial for preventing vision loss.
Purpose of the Study:
- To analyze geographic variations in glaucoma diagnosis and surgical procedures.
- To assess regional differences in glaucoma care delivery.
- To project future demographic needs for glaucoma care.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of nationwide registry data on glaucoma diagnoses and surgeries over 11 years.
- Stratification of data by treatment region and area of residence.
- Calculation of standardized diagnosis and surgery rates per 10,000 population aged ≥ 60 years.
- Demographic projections using an exponential smoothing state space model.
Main Results:
- Significant geographic variation in glaucoma care was observed across regions.
- Surgery-to-diagnosis ratios varied markedly between regions for individuals aged ≥ 60 years.
- Age forecasting indicates a growing population aged ≥ 60 years.
Conclusions:
- Geographic disparities in glaucoma surgical care may persist, even in well-resourced systems.
- Centralization of services, referral patterns, and clinical decisions may contribute to these differences.
- There is a critical need to align glaucoma care delivery with evolving demographic needs.
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