ABSTRACT
The purpose of this study was to estimate the prevalence of exfoliation syndrome [XFS] and its association with ocular disease in patients attending the eye clinic of the University College Hospital [UCH] in Ibadan, Nigeria. A total of 448 consecutive new patients, aged 30-90 years who presented to the eye clinic of UCH between December 2009 and November 2010 were evaluated. Each patient had a complete ophthalmic examination. Patients with exfoliative material on the anterior lens surface and/or pupillary margin in either or both eyes were considered to have XFS. Means, standard deviation, and 95% confidence intervals were calculated. All the patients examined were from the southern part of Nigeria. Majority [94.2%] were of the Yoruba tribe from southwestern Nigeria, while 5.8% were from southeastern Nigeria. The mean age of the study cohort was 58.5 +/- 13.8, 54.8% were males, 12 [2.7%] had XFS. All patients with XFS were of the Yoruba tribe, with a mean age 65.6 +/- 5.6 years. There was a male predilection [66.7%]. All eyes with XFS had lenticular opacities. XFS was bilateral in eight patients [66.7%] of whom seven patients [87.5%] had glaucoma and lenticular opacities bilaterally. This is the first report of the existence of XFS in Nigeria. Larger studies are necessary in this population to further investigate the disease