Clinical profile and burden of primary glaucoma in rural camp patients attending a tertiary care center in India

Abstract

Purpose: To study clinical profile and burden of primary glaucoma in rural camp patients attending a tertiary care center. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in a tertiary care hospital of a single academic institute after ethical approval. Primary glaucoma patients aged ≥40 years, referred from the outreach camps, were included for a period of 12 months (2016–2017). A detailed history was recorded. Ocular examination included visual acuity, slit-lamp examination, disc evaluation, gonioscopy, intraocular pressure (IOP), and visual fields. Glaucoma was defined according to the International Society Geographical and Epidemiological Ophthalmology. Results: Out of 4204 referred cases from community program, 115 cases had primary glaucoma. Open-angle group had 63 (54.78%) cases whereas narrow-angle group had 52 (45.22%). The hospital-based prevalence for open-angle glaucoma was 1.11% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.8, 1.44) and for narrow-angle glaucoma was 1.07% (95% CI: 0.76, 1.38). The mean IOP was higher in narrow-angle group (P < 0.0001). The proportion of unilateral blindness was significantly high in narrow-angle category (P = 0.0203). Conclusions: The ratio of open-angle glaucoma to narrow-angle glaucoma was 1.2:1. Associated risk factors were age, gender, high IOP, refractive errors, and systemic illness. Narrow-angle glaucoma was more blinding as compared to open-angle glaucoma. Majority of the primary glaucoma found in camp patients was undiagnosed.

Keywords

• Blindness
• narrow-angle glaucoma
• open-angle glaucoma
• undiagnosed glaucoma
• visual morbidity