Distribution of Glaucoma Outpatients

ABSTRACT

We evaluated the prevalence and characteristics of 584 glaucoma out-patients from January to December 1993 in the Department of Ophthalmology of Yongdong Severance Hospital to find out recent trends. Glaucoma was found in 4.68 percent of the new out-patients, and the primary open angle glaucoma(POAG) was the most common type(37.7%). The most common cause of secondary glaucoma was uveal tract disease in the disease group entity(34.7%) and neovascular glaucoma due to diabetic retinopathy was 19.8% prevalence in the single disease entity. The glaucomatous eyes were treated with medical therapy(49.3%), operation(30.5%) and laser therapy(15.8%). Good control was obtained in 81.8 percent of total glaucoma patients, but moderate and poor control were obtained in 50.0 percent of congenital glaucoma and 28.4 percent of secondary glaucoma. Cataract was combined in 27.9 percent of total glaucoma patients. Among all types of glaucoma, combined mechanism glaucoma and primary angle closure glaucoma(PACG) were more likely to be combined with cataract (52.4% vs 48.5%, respectively). The chief complaints were previously-diagnosed glaucoma(44.8%) and visual disturbance(30.4%), and the common visual field defect were grade I(40.7%) and grade IV(21.6%). In POAG, juvenile glaucoma, secondary glaucoma and congenital glaucoma, the incidence rates between the different sexual groups men were higher(71.5%, 78.9%, 68.4%, 70.6%, respectively), but in PACG, women were five times higher. The age group of over 40 years old represented 80.9% of POAG and 98.9% of PACG.