Increased incidence of open-angle glaucoma among hypertensive patients: an 11-year nationwide retrospective cohort study.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the risk of open-angle glaucoma (OAG) among patients with systemic hypertension (HTN). METHODS: This retrospective propensity-score-matched cohort study included patients with HTN and a matched comparison cohort from the Korean National Health Insurance Service National Sample Cohort database. The HTN group was defined as patients who were prescribed antihypertensive medication, or SBP at least 140 or DBP at least 90 mmHg. The OAG group was defined as patients satisfying OAG criteria during repeated visits to an ophthalmologist. The Charlson comorbidity index was used to control for systemic conditions. Cox proportional hazard regression analysis was performed. RESULTS: OAG occurred in 2.0% (n = 1961) in the HTN group, and 1.7% (n = 1692) in the comparison group (P < 0.001). The OAG incidence rates in patients with and without HTN were 19.0 and 16.4 per 10 000 person-years, respectively. HTN was associated with increased OAG incidence [adjusted hazard ratio (HR) = 1.16, 95% confidence interval: 1.09-1.24] from our multivariate Cox model. Participants with higher SBP (adjusted HR = 1.12 for 120-139 mmHg group; and adjusted HR = 1.20 for ≥140 mmHg group) was more likely to have subsequent OAG compared with participants with less than 120 mmHg blood pressure. Participants with higher DBP (adjusted HR = 1.11 for 80-89 mmHg group: and adjusted HR = 1.07 for ≥90 mmHg group) showed similar trends as participants with less than 80 mmHg blood pressure. CONCLUSION: Patients diagnosed with HTN are more likely to experience subsequent OAG than those without HTN.

Prevalence and risk factors of visual impairment and blindness in Korea: the Fourth Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey in 2008-2010.

PURPOSE: To describe the age, gender specific prevalence and risk factors of visual impairment and blindness in Korea. METHODS: From 2008 to 2010, a total 14 924 randomly selected national representative participants of the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey underwent additional ophthalmologic examinations by the Korean Ophthalmologic Society. Best Corrected Distance Visual Acuity was measured using an international standard vision chart based on Snellen scale (Jin's vision chart). Independent risk factors for visual impairment were investigated using multivariate logistic regression analysis. RESULTS: The overall prevalence of visual impairment (≤20/40) of adults 40 years and older was 4.1% (95% CI, 3.6-4.6) based on the better seeing eye. The overall prevalence of blindness (≤20/200) for adults 40 years and older was 0.2% (95% CI, 0.1-0.3). Risk indicators of visual impairment were increasing age, low education status, living in rural area, being unemployed, being without spouse and the absence of private health insurance. The visually impaired were more likely to have eye diseases compared with the normal subjects, and they were less likely to utilize eye care. CONCLUSION: The prevalence of visual impairment was demonstrated to be higher while that of blindness was similar to previous population studies in Asia or U.S. Sociodemographic disparities are present in the prevalence of visual impairment and more targeted efforts are needed to promote vision screening in high risk groups.