CORAL GABLES, Fla., Feb. 19 (UPI) -- A U.S. eye surgeon and medical missionary says tens of thousands of cases of glaucoma could be detected annually with his new "self-test."

Undetected and untreated glaucoma leads to permanent damage of the optic nerve and resultant visual field loss, which can progress to blindness.

Dr. Robert Welsh of Coral Gables, Fla., said his Welsh Self-Test may be awkward but is accurate. The test involves holding one hand over the opposite eye and then using the free hand for "finger-wiggling" to detect reduced or lost "nose-side side-vision," called a 95 percent glaucoma diagnostic "nasal-step" loss, Welsh said.

"Elderly blacks are nine times more gene prone to developing totally blinding glaucoma than other population groups," Welsh said in a statement. "Early glaucoma diagnosis and treatment can be made by working with pastors at black churches throughout America."

More information on the test is at the Web site: glaucomaselftest.org.