Clinical Ophthalmology (Nov 2022)
Prevalence of Pseudoexfoliation Among Adults and Its Related Ophthalmic Variables in Southern Ethiopia: A Cross-Sectional Study
Abstract
Ephrem Kibru Melese, Menen Ayalew Shibeshi, Sadik Taju Sherief Department of Ophthalmology, School of Medicine, College of Health Sciences, Addis Ababa University, Addis Ababa, EthiopiaCorrespondence: Sadik Taju Sherief, Department of Ophthalmology, School of Medicine, College of Health Sciences, Addis Ababa University, P.O. Box 9086, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, Email [email protected]: A community-based study was conducted to determine the prevalence and sociodemographic factors of pseudoexfoliation syndrome among adults in Southern Ethiopia.Patients and Methods: A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted among subjects aged 40 years or older. Subjects underwent standardized examination, including portable slit-lamp biomicroscopy before and after pupillary dilatation, and intraocular pressure measurement using Tono-Pen. Pseudoexfoliation was diagnosed on slit-lamp examination by the presence of white dandruff-like material on the pupillary margin and/or on the anterior lens capsule of one or both eyes.Results: Among 760 participants, the prevalence of pseudoexfoliation was 12.0% (95% confidence interval: 9.7– 14.3%). The mean age of pseudoexfoliation cases was 63.9 years (SD 9.96, age range 40– 90 years). The prevalence increased with increasing age, with 26.9% of those 60 or older affected. Slightly higher proportion of males (12.4%) were found to have pseudoexfoliation in either of the eyes than females (11.6%) which was not statistically significant (p = 0.738). Mean IOP in subjects with pseudoexfoliation was found to be 20.65 ± 5.15 mmHg, while it was 15.0 ± 2.3 mmHg for those without pseudoexfoliation. The difference between the two populations was found to be statistically significant (P < 0.05).Conclusion: The prevalence of pseudoexfoliation in eyes of people in Southern Ethiopia appears greater than that reported in other places of Africa and Asia. Pseudoexfoliation occurs at a relatively younger age in our population. Increasing age is associated with the presence of pseudoexfoliation, and pseudoexfoliation in turn is associated with higher intraocular pressure.Keywords: pseudoexfoliation, intraocular pressure, glaucoma, rural community
