Abstract
Abstract: :
Purpose: To determine the incidence and prevalence of glaucoma in a urban Latin American population. Methods: A trained technician examined 3300 people, using the FDT perimetry system, Tonopen tonometry and evaluated the anterior chamber angle at the slit lamp (Van Herik scale).Patients with positive results were then re-evalauated by ophthalmologists, in order to confirm the findings. Results: 167 out of 3132 FDT tests evaluated were positives. 614 out of 3132 had IOP higher than 17 mm Hg. 430 out of 3289 ,had narrow anterior chamber angle, according to Van Herik classification. After examining the patients by the ophthalmologists 127 (51.4%) of initially positive FDT were confirmed; 608 ( 99%) of patients with IOP higher than 17 mm Hg were confirmed to have that value;using gonioscopy 225 (37%) of the initially clasified as patients having narrow angles, were confirmed. Finally glaucoma was diagnosticed in 75 patients, and ocular hypertension in 18. Conclusion: A high incidence of glaucoma was found in our population.It was evident than glaucoma has been under-diagnosed in our population.A high incidence of narrow angles was confirmed. Due to these it is very important to follow screening programs in our population.
Keywords: 354 clinical (human) or epidemiologic studies: prevalence/incidence • 624 visual fields • 444 intraocular pressure