Ocular pseudoexfoliation associated with hearing loss

Ocular pseudoexfoliation [PXF] has been recently considered as a systemic disease affecting other organs as well as the eye. This prospective study is to assess the relationship between PXF and sensorineural hearing loss. Patients attending a general ophthalmic clinic at King Hussein Medical Center, Amman, Jordan from [March 2002 through to March 2003] who were found to have ocular PXF on routine ophthalmic examination were referred to the Audiometric Department. Pure tone hearing threshold was measured at 1, 2, 3 kHz for each ear and was compared with International Standard [ISO 7029] median age associated hearing loss at 1, 2, 3 kHz [AAHL]. Forty-one patients were studied of whom 24 were males [58.5%]; the mean age of the male patients was 78-years while that of the female group was 72-years. All patients had PXF affecting at least one eye, 16 patients [39%] had bilateral PXF. Overall [72-years] of 36 patients [87%] had a higher hearing threshold level [HTL] at 1, 2, 3 kHz [HTL [1, 2, 3] than the ISO 7029 median AAHL 1, 2, 3 which included [44 ears] of 22 patients in the male group [87%] and [28 ears] of 14 patients in the female group 82%. Approximately 26.8% of patients had glaucoma, however; there was no correlation between glaucoma and sensorineural hearing threshold level. The majority of patients with ocular PXF had sensorineural hearing loss compared to age-matched controls. Thus, there is increasing evidence that PXF is a systemic disease