Glaucoma doesn’t make headlines, but for Black people, it has quietly become a leading cause of blindness. The disease strikes Black individuals five times more often than their white counterparts, with blindness occurring at six times the rate. Glaucoma starts its assault years earlier in the Black community, often catching people off guard. It’s a silent epidemic that Michigan’s Black population knows all too well, and it’s an issue that requires more than just awareness. It demands action.
This is a reality that has gone unaddressed for far too long, and it’s leaving a devastating impact on countless lives. Early detection is the key to preventing vision loss, but for many Black people, the barriers to care are overwhelming. This means the community is fighting a silent battle against an aggressive disease that many aren’t even aware they have.
Dr. Victoria Williams is answering that call. As Michigan’s only Black neuro-ophthalmologist and oculoplastic surgeon, she has dedicated her life to combating this crisis. Her private practice offers not only top-tier care but a deep cultural understanding of the barriers her patients face. For many in the Black community, these barriers are more than just financial. Access to quality healthcare, timely treatment, and the trust needed to navigate the medical system are all challenges that Dr. Williams is working to overcome with Williams Eye Specialty Clinic. In ophthalmology, only 5 percent of professionals are of African descent. This gap highlights why Dr. Williams’ presence is so critical.
“It’s very important for our community to see physicians that look like them and who understand them culturally, in terms of some of the challenges, that can be faced with different conditions,” said Williams.
Dr. Victoria Williams, Williams Eye Specialty Clinic.
The issue goes beyond biology. People from minority communities, particularly Black people, face barriers to quality care at every level. Studies show that Black patients experience longer delays in receiving medical care and lower quality pain management. In ophthalmology, those delays can have catastrophic consequences. Black individuals with diabetic eye disease, for example, wait longer for treatment than their White counterparts, even when the severity of the disease is the same. This disparity extends to glaucoma, where Black patients are less likely to receive timely interventions that could prevent blindness.
Dr. Williams is aware of these issues, and she is committed to being part of the solution. Glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy, and other vision-threatening conditions disproportionately affect the Black community. But the healthcare system often fails to provide the necessary support. Lower rates of health insurance, limited access to specialists, and economic hardships prevent many Black individuals from seeking regular eye exams or getting the glasses they need. These factors create a cycle where preventable vision loss becomes inevitable.
Glaucoma isn’t the only condition where Black Americans face disparities in care. Studies have shown that Black patients receive lower quality pain management, experience delays in emergency care, and are less likely to be given lifesaving treatments like cardiac procedures or organ transplants. These issues are compounded by economic inequalities, with Black individuals being less likely to have health insurance or the means to pay for necessary treatments.
“In terms of being able to provide a service to my community and especially the community I grew up in, this is bigger than me,” Williams expressed. “I’m from Michigan. I’m from metro Detroit. It’s been a great honor to be able to give back and especially provide services that are few and far between. There’s not a lot of neuro ophthalmology, just in general or oculoplastic. And to be able to give back and provide a necessary need, it’s just, it’s really huge for me, it’s something I’ve always wanted to do.”
In ophthalmology, the effects of these disparities are devastating. A lack of access to routine eye exams and specialist care means that many Black individuals are not diagnosed with glaucoma until the disease has already caused permanent damage. For those who do manage to see a doctor, the wait times for treatment are often longer than they would be for a white patient. This delay can mean the difference between sight and blindness.
Despite efforts to reduce preventable blindness, the World Health Organization reports that over 1 billion people worldwide live with vision impairment that could have been avoided. In the United States, age-related eye diseases remain the leading cause of vision loss. Glaucoma and diabetic retinopathy are particularly prevalent in the Black community, while other diseases like age-related macular degeneration disproportionately affect white individuals. The differences in disease prevalence and response to treatment by ethnicity underscore the need for more equitable healthcare.
Access to early detection and treatment can prevent blindness, but the inequities in the healthcare system make it difficult for many African Americans to get the care they need. Lower incomes, lack of health insurance, and disparities in healthcare settings contribute to a system where Black patients are less likely to receive timely treatment. This lack of access is a direct contributor to the high rates of blindness from glaucoma in the Black community.
Dr. Williams offers a solution. Her practice is a place where Black patients can receive the care they deserve from someone who understands their experiences. She knows that the healthcare system has failed her community, and she’s working to change that. As one of the few Black ophthalmologists in the country, she’s a vital resource for those who need specialized eye care. Her expertise in treating neuro-ophthalmologic diseases, performing eyelid procedures, and addressing thyroid eye disease allows her to serve a wide range of patients, but her focus remains on those who are most at risk.
Representation matters, especially in healthcare.
The Black community deserves better when it comes to healthcare. The disparities that exist in glaucoma treatment and outcomes are not inevitable. They are the result of systemic inequities that have gone unaddressed for too long.
This issue is urgent. Glaucoma is not waiting.
Glaucoma may be more common in Black Americans, but with doctors like Dr. Williams leading the way, blindness doesn’t have to be. She is providing a model for what’s possible when we address the needs of the community head-on. By offering early diagnosis, timely treatment, and a deep understanding of the challenges her patients face, Dr. Williams is giving Michigan’s Black community the gift of sight and, with it, the chance to live fuller, healthier lives.
