Screening for Eyes at Risk for Angle–closure Glaucoma by Non–physician Operated Scanning Peripheral Anterior Chamber Depth Analyzer

Abstract

Abstract: : Purpose:Aim of this study is to screen eyes at risk for angle–closure glaucoma (ACG) by non–physician using newly developed full–automated scanning peripheral anterior chamber depth analyzer (SPAC) in health examination. Methods: Residents with 40 years old or more were subject to this study in Tamaho town Yamanashi Japan. Non–physicians operated SPAC in the primary health examination for screening eyes at risk for ACG. SPAC automatically measured peripheral anterior chamber depth (PACD) and categorized enrolled eyes into four groups according to the previous results (group 1: low risk for ACG, group 2: having moderately or slightly shallow anterior chamber, group 3: having shallow anterior chamber and at high risk for ACG, group 4: impossible to be judged). All eyes categorized group 3 were subject to the secondary examination. Eyes belonging to groups 2 and 4 were confirmed to be free from risk for ACG by ophthalmologists. In the secondary examination glaucoma specialists diagnosed those high risk eyes by examinations using gonioscope and ultrasound bio–microscope, and loading tests such as prone position test. Results: Of 624 subjects who attended the primary examination, SPAC determined sixty–five subjects belonging to group 3. Sixty–four subjects attended the secondary examination and one eye with primary angle–closure glaucoma, 21 eyes with primary–angle closure, and 13 eyes primary angle–closure suspect were diagnosed. Among these subjects none have any ocular symptom associated with ACG and only two subjects were previously diagnosed. Conclusions: SPAC may be useful for screening eyes at risk for ACG by non–physician operated health examination.

Keywords: anterior chamber • clinical (human) or epidemiologic studies: systems/equipment/techniques • imaging methods (CT, FA, ICG, MRI, OCT, RTA, SLO, ultrasound)