Prevalence of open-angle glaucoma in a rural south Indian population

Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 2005 Dec;46(12):4461-7. doi: 10.1167/iovs.04-1529.

Abstract

Purpose: To determine the prevalence of primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) and the associated risk factors in a rural population in southern India.

Methods: Subjects aged 40 years or more (n = 3934) underwent a complete ophthalmic examination. Glaucoma was diagnosed according to the International Society of Geographical and Epidemiologic Ophthalmology classification.

Results: Complete data were available for 3924 subjects (response rate, 81.75%). In eyes with normal suprathreshold visual fields, the mean intraocular pressure was 14.29 +/- 3.32 mm Hg (97.5th and 99.5th percentiles, 21 and 25 mm Hg, respectively). The mean vertical cup-to-disc ratio was 0.39 +/- 0.17 (97.5th and 99.5th percentiles, 0.7 and 0.8, respectively). Sixty-four subjects had definite POAG (1.62%, 9.5% CI 1.42-1.82); 30 were men and 34 were women. Subjects with POAG (59.85 +/- 10.43 years) were older (P < 0.001) than the study population (53.78 +/- 10.71 years). In only one (1.5%) person was POAG diagnosed before the study. Two (3.12%) subjects were blind due to POAG; 21 (32.81%) subjects had a presenting IOP >21 mm Hg, and 43 (67.19%) had an IOP <21 mm Hg. The mean central corneal thickness in subjects with POAG (502.82 +/- 35.29 microm) was not different from that of the normal study population (505.93 +/- 31.11 microm). No association was found with diabetes mellitus, systemic hypertension, gender, and myopia. Increasing IOP (per mm Hg) was associated with the disease (OR 1.12; 95% CI, 1.08-1.16). The odds for POAG increased with advancing age after adjustment for gender.

Conclusions: The prevalence of POAG in this population was 1.62%. The prevalence increased with age, and 98.5% were not aware of the disease.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Age Distribution
  • Aged
  • Aged, 80 and over
  • Blindness / epidemiology
  • Female
  • Glaucoma, Open-Angle / epidemiology*
  • Humans
  • India / epidemiology
  • Intraocular Pressure
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Prevalence
  • Risk Factors
  • Rural Population / statistics & numerical data*
  • Sex Distribution