ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Pseudoexfoliation (PEX), which affects anterior segment structures, is thought to be a systemic disorder. The purpose of this study was to determine the possible relation between PEX and sensorineural hearing loss. METHODS: The study group included 51 patients with PEX and 22 controls without PEX. The patients and controls underwent complete ophthalmic and otorhinolaryngologic examinations. Hearing levels were evaluated with audio-tympanogram battery in all cases, and pure-tone audiogram hearing levels were classified into 6 groups. RESULTS: The mean age of PEX subjects was 67.5 years. All patients had PEX in at least one eye. Seventeen eyes had no evidence of PEX syndrome or glaucoma, 14 eyes had PEX but no glaucoma, and 71 eyes had both PEX and glaucoma. Thirty-four patients had bilateral PEX while 17 patients had unilateral PEX. One hundred and two ears of the 51 PEX patients and 44 ears of 22 controls were evaluated with pure-tone audiogram after otologic examination. In PEX patients 34/102 ears (33.3%) had normal hearing level, and 68 (66.7%) had hearing loss at various levels. The mean age of the control group was 61 years. In this group, 27/44 ears (61.4%) had no hearing loss, and 17 (38.6%) ears had hearing loss. There was a statistically significant difference between control and PEX subjects (p<0.01) in terms of hearing loss. INTERPRETATION: This study shows that sensorineural hearing loss appears to be associated with PEX.
