Abstract
Abstract: :
Purpose: To investigate the prevalence of open angle glaucoma (OAG) in a cross-sectional study in the Cologne area. Methods: Caucasians living in the region of Cologne, Aachen, Bonn aged 35 to 70 years with no history of glaucoma, ocular hypertension or ocular pathology were invited to take part at the study. The standardized examination of both eyes included assessment of visual acuity, slit-lamp examination of the anterior and posterior segment, keratometry, confocal laser scanning tomography with the Heidelberg Retina Tomograph (HRT-I), computerised 30° field perimetry (Octopus 500EZ) and Goldmann applanation tonometry. Examinations were conducted between July 1998 and December 2001. Follow-up examinations (part II) are scheduled for 2004/5. Glaucoma was diagnosed according to the EGS guidelines. Glaucoma was suspected in eyes with glaucomatous cupping of the optic nerve head (ONH) but no glaucomatous visual field changes and an IOP <22 mmHg. Ocular hypertension was diagnosed in eyes with IOP ≷21 mmHg and no glaucomatous visual field changes nor glaucomatous excavation of the ONH. Results: We included 2070 adults (1317 men, 753 women) with a mean age of 51.3±9.9 years. The prevalence of newly diagnosed OAG was 1.59% (n=33). Glaucoma was suspected in 0.82% of the individuals (n=17). The prevalence of ocular hypertension was 1.21% (n=25). The relationship between age, gender, familiar history of glaucoma, cardio-vascular diseases refractive error and incidence of OAG was analysed with a multivariate regression analysis model. Conclusion:In part I we were able to identify 1.59% of the 2070 individuals as previously undiagnosed OAG. The prevalence of OAG in the literature varies between 0.1 and 1.5% depending on the diagnosis criteria for OAG and the population studied. In 2004 (part II) we shall follow-up all 2070 individuals to study the rate of conversion to glaucoma from the group of OHT.
Keywords: 354 clinical (human) or epidemiologic studies: prevalence/incidence • 444 intraocular pressure • 430 imaging/image analysis: clinical