Visual disability in newly diagnosed primary open angle glaucoma (POAG) patients in a tertiary hospital in Nigeria.
| Autor: | Awoyesuku EA; Department of Ophthalmology, University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital, Port Harcourt, Nigeria. awoyeliz@yahoo.com, Ejimadu CS |
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| Jazyk: | angličtina |
| Zdroj: | Nigerian journal of medicine : journal of the National Association of Resident Doctors of Nigeria [Niger J Med] 2012 Jan-Mar; Vol. 21 (1), pp. 78-80. |
| Abstrakt: | Background: Glaucoma remains the second leading cause of blindness worldwide and the highes cause of irreversible blindness worldwide. In N Glaucoma accounts for 16% of blindness and primary open angle glaucoma is the most prevalent clinical type. Aim: The aim of this study is to assess the visual disability resulting from glaucoma in newly diagnosed POAG patients in University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital. Materials/method: This is a retrospective study of newly diagnosed glaucoma patients referred from the general ophthalmology clinic to the glaucoma clinic over a 12 month period (January-December 2010). All patients had a glaucoma workup includin Snellen distant visual acuity, slit lamp examination, Goldman applanation tonometry, gonioscopy, dilated fundoscopy with +78 diopter lens as well as perimetry. All examinations were carried out by both authors. Patients with other co-morbidities such as cataract and retinal/macular pathologies were excluded from the study. Results: A total of 98 patients were reviewed. The were 34 males and 27 females, giving a male to female ratio of 1.3:1. The average age was 54.2 years and most patients (>80%) were in the 40-59 year age group. Of the 98 patients reviewed, 62.2% had POAG. 30 patients were-blind by distant visual acuity criteria while 45 patients were blind by central visual field criteria. Conclusion: POAG is the most prevalent clinical subtype of glaucoma in Nigeria and sub-Saharan Africa Paucity of symptoms in early stages of the disease at late presentation is a characteristic finding in our clinic environment. Our study showed that POAG in our environment is associated with marked visual disability at the time of presentation. |
| Databáze: | MEDLINE |
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