Outpatient Distribution for Glaucoma Evaluation

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: To analyze the reasons for glaucoma evaluation and distribution of new patients visiting the glaucoma department. METHODS: In a retrospective study, 330 new patients underwent ocular examination using Goldmann applanation tonometry, gonioscopy, optic disc analysis, optical coherence tomography, and Humphrey perimeter under suspicion of glaucoma for the first time in the Glaucoma Department from January 2013 to December 2013. We analyzed the reasons and their diagnostic outcomes. RESULTS: The reasons for glaucoma evaluation were health screening (103 patients, 32.49%), other symptoms (102 patients, 31.55%), known glaucoma (56 patients, 17.67%), pre-refractive surgery evaluation (31 patients, 9.78%), family history (19 patients, 5.99%), and high myopia (6 patients, 1.89%). The diagnostic outcomes were as follows glaucoma (139 patients, 43.85%), glaucoma suspect (60 patients, 18.93%), ocular hypertension (9 patients, 2.84%), neither glaucoma nor ocular hypertension (79 patients, 24.92%), normal (30 patients, 9.46%). The percentages of confirmed glaucoma according to the reasons for glaucoma evaluation were as follows health screening, 26.21%; other symptoms, 40.20%; known glaucoma, 85.71%; pre-refractive surgery evaluation, 58.06%; family history, 15.79% and high myopia, 33.33%. CONCLUSIONS: The reasons for glaucoma evaluation were diverse. Glaucoma was confirmed in 43.85% of the patients and the predicted value of positive test for glaucoma including glaucoma suspect and ocular hypertension was 65.62%.