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At least 73 records · Page 4Linked to original sources
PubMed1997

Use of antifibrosis agents and glaucoma drainage devices in the American and Japanese Glaucoma Societies.

PURPOSE: To investigate practice patterns among glaucoma subspecialists in the American Glaucoma Society (AGS) and the Japanese Glaucoma Society (JGS), regarding use of antifibrosis agents and glaucoma drainage devices. METHODS: An anonymous survey incorporating 10 clinical situations was mailed to all AGS and JGS members in December 1995. RESULTS: Half of the AGS (105 of 210), and JGS (25 of 50) members returned surveys. Most respondents (51-87%) preferred trabeculectomy with adjunctive mitomycin for all 10 clinical situations. Mitomycin concentrations varied from 0.1 to 0.8 mg/ml (range of means for 10 situations 0.31-0.39 mg/ml) and intraoperative application times ranged from 5 s to 7 min (range of means for 10 situations 2.5-4.6 min). Preferences for either no antifibrosis agent (up to 39%) or 5-fluorouracil (up to 29%) were highest in primary trabeculectomy. Thirty-seven percent to 64% of AGS members used glaucoma drainage devices, especially after complicated postsurgical glaucomas (after penetrating keratoplasty, scleral buckling, or pars plana vitrectomy) and in neovascular glaucoma, but few JGS members used them. Large differences between university- and private practice-based AGS members were found only in mitomycin use for primary trabeculectomy (33% vs. 52%, respectively; p = 0.07) and for complicated postsurgical glaucomas (46% vs. 70%, respectively; p = 0.03). CONCLUSIONS: Trabeculectomy with mitomycin was the preferred surgical procedure among AGS and JGS members in the clinical situations surveyed. Mitomycin concentration and time of application varied widely. Many respondents used 5-fluorouracil or no antimetabolite in primary trabeculectomy. Glaucoma drainage devices were widely used for complicated glaucomas in the United States.

Chemotherapy, Adjuvant↗
PubMed2005

A population based survey of the prevalence and types of glaucoma in rural West Bengal: the West Bengal Glaucoma Study.

AIM: To determine (i) the prevalence of glaucoma in people aged > or =50 years, (ii) the proportions of different types of glaucoma, (iii) the distributions of intraocular pressure and vertical cup disc ratio. METHOD: Population based prevalence survey in rural West Bengal. People aged > or =50 years in randomly selected villages in 24 Parganas South district. The main outcome measures were diagnosis of glaucoma, based on criteria described by the International Society for Geographic and Epidemiological Ophthalmology. RESULTS: 1594 people aged > or =50 years were enumerated in nine villages; 1324 (83.1%) were surveyed and 1269 people adequately examined. 42 definite cases of glaucoma were identified, with prevalence increasing from 2.7% (95% CI 1.7 to 3.7) in people aged 50-59 years to 6.5% (95% CI 0.0 to 14.1) in those aged > or =80 years. The age standardised estimate for the prevalence of all glaucoma in people aged > or =50 years was 3.4%. Only three cases of primary angle closure glaucoma (PACG) were identified, giving a crude ratio of primary open angle glaucoma (POAG) to PACG of more than 10:1. Three people with glaucoma were blind in one eye but none was blind in both eyes. CONCLUSION: Compared to other surveys of glaucoma in India, the age standardised prevalence observed was less than in Hyderabad, but similar to Tamil Nadu and Dhaka. The ratio of POAG to PACG was much higher than found previously, suggesting that PACG may be less prevalent in Bengalis than in Indian populations living in south India. The authors conclude that ophthalmic services in West Bengal should focus on detecting POAG. Since there is still no satisfactory method of screening for POAG, there is no alternative to case detection (opportunistic screening) in eye clinics.

Age Distribution↗
PubMed2004

Baerveldt glaucoma implant in the management of refractory childhood glaucomas.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the effectiveness and safety of the Baerveldt glaucoma drainage implant (GDI) in the management of pediatric glaucomas. DESIGN: Retrospective noncomparative case series. PARTICIPANTS: Sixty-two children younger than 18 years who underwent Baerveldt GDI surgery. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Intraocular pressure (IOP), intraoperative and postoperative complications, number of glaucoma medications, and VA. Success was defined as IOP of <22 mmHg and > or =5 mmHg with or without medications, no loss of light perception, and no further surgical intervention for glaucoma. Outcomes were compared for patients with primary and secondary glaucomas. RESULTS: Sixty-two eyes of 62 patients were identified. The mean patient age (+/- standard deviation) at time of Baerveldt glaucoma implant surgery was 6.5+/-5.6 years (range, 6 weeks-17 years). With an average follow-up of 23.4+/-21.7 months (range, 1-106), IOP was reduced from a mean of 35.0+/-8.7 mmHg (range, 17-54) preoperatively to 17.6+/-8.4 mmHg (range, 5-45) at last follow-up visit (P<0.001). Kaplan-Meier survival analysis showed a cumulative success of 85% at 6 months, 80% at 12 months, 67% at 24 months, and 60% in months 28 through 106. There was no difference between primary (N = 23) and secondary glaucoma (N = 39) patients in terms of length of follow-up, final IOP, number of medications, or cumulative success (P = 0.21). CONCLUSION: Baerveldt glaucoma implant surgery seems to be an effective treatment for primary and secondary refractory glaucomas in children. There is a risk of retinal detachment that may be related to the implant or other ocular conditions.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2002

Outcome of Baerveldt glaucoma drainage implants for the treatment of uveitic glaucoma.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of Baerveldt glaucoma drainage devices in the management of uveitic glaucoma. DESIGN: Retrospective, noncomparative case series. PARTICIPANTS: Twenty-four eyes of 24 patients who underwent implantation of Baerveldt glaucoma drainage devices between 1996 and 2000 for the treatment of uveitic glaucoma refractory to medical therapy. INTERVENTION: Implantation of Baerveldt glaucoma drainage device. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Control of intraocular pressure (IOP), number of glaucoma medications needed for adequate IOP control, visual acuity, complications associated with the surgery, and the effect of subsequent surgery on the ability of the device to control IOP. Success was defined as IOP >/=5 and </=21 mmHg with or without antiglaucoma medications and without need for further glaucoma surgery, loss of light perception, or phthisis. RESULTS: Cumulative life-table success rates were 95.8% at 3 months and 91.7% at 6 months, 12 months, and 24 months. The mean postoperative follow-up was 20.8 months. The IOP was reduced from a preoperative mean of 30.5 +/- 8.96 mmHg with 3.1 +/- 0.99 antiglaucoma medications to a postoperative mean at 6 months or 1 year of 13.0 +/- 4.6 mmHg (P < 0.001) with 0.8 +/- 0.8 antiglaucoma medications (P < 0.001). At last follow-up 14 of 24 eyes (58.3%) required no antiglaucoma medications. Best-corrected visual acuity improved or remained within 2 lines of preoperative visual acuity in 19 (79.2%) eyes. The most common complications were choroidal effusions in four (16.7%), hypotony in three (12.5%) eyes, cystoid macular edema in three (12.5%) eyes, and failure of corneal grafts in two (8.3%). Seven of 22 eyes (31.8%) in which successful control of IOP with the Baerveldt implant was achieved underwent subsequent nonglaucoma-related incisional surgery. None of these eyes (0%) lost IOP control after the subsequent procedure. CONCLUSIONS: The Baerveldt glaucoma drainage device offers reasonable safety and effectiveness for the control of IOP in eyes with uveitis and refractory glaucoma.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2005

Types of Glaucoma and recent trends applied in treatment: Observations from a Glaucoma Training Workshop in the Gambia.

OBJECTIVES: To determine types of glaucoma seen and the recent trends applied in treatment, a retrospective non-comparative case-series study was conducted in the Eye Unit of the Royal Victoria Hospital, Banjul, The Gambia. METHODS: The records of the 88 patients(145 eyes) seen during the glaucoma training workshop(organised by Prof.James Standefer, a clinical ophthalmologist from Minneapolis, U.S.A.) which held between 3rd and 14th of September, 2001, were analysed for types of glaucoma and treatment given. All but one patient who was a baby underwent the following tests: visual acuity measurement using the illiterate E-Chart with multiple optotypes; tonometry using the Schiotz tonometer with the 5.5g weight; oblique flashlight test; Van Herrick's estimation of the angle depth; pupillary reactions to light; Slitlamp biomicroscopy; gonioscopy using the 4-mirror pressure gonioprism; fundoscopy using the +78D Volk lens and confrontational visual field analysis. RESULTS: 27 eyes did not have definite glaucoma. Out of the remaining 118 eyes, 65(55.08%) had POAG;17(14.41%)ACG out of which 8 were CACG and 2 acute ACG. 8 eyes had pseudoexfoliation of the lens capsule with or without glaucoma. In the frail and elderly, guttae Timoptol 0.5% was given once daily. 27 eyes had trabeculectomy; all were with releasable sutures and intraoperative application of 5-Fluorouracil. 3 eyes had laser trabeculoplasty and 5, diode laser transscleral cyclophotocoagulation. CONCLUSIONS: POAG was the commonest type of glaucoma seen. Pseudoexfoliation of the lens capsule with or without glaucoma and ACG are not very rare in The Gambia. In the frail and elderly, guttae Timoptol 0.5% was given once daily and none at all in painless glaucoma-blind eyes. Trabeculectomy with releasable sutures and intraoperative application of 5-FU has a very satisfactory pressure-lowering effect. KEYWORDS: glaucoma; treatment; the Gambia.

Gambia↗
PubMed1998

The Glaucoma Symptom Scale. A brief index of glaucoma-specific symptoms.

OBJECTIVE: To develop a brief symptom survey specific for persons with glaucoma, the Glaucoma Symptom Scale (GSS). DESIGN: Cross-sectional study of symptoms, functional impairment, and vision-targeted health-related quality of life among persons with glaucoma. PATIENTS: A sample of 147 persons with glaucoma among a broad range of treatment categories from 4 tertiary care glaucoma centers and 44 persons without eye disease enrolled from the same 4 centers. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Participants completed a modified version of the Ocular Hypertension Treatment Study 10-item symptom checklist. Participants also completed 2 vision-specific measures, the National Eye Institute Visual Function Questionnaire and the VF-14. Participants underwent a clinical evaluation, including ocular and medical history, dilated ophthalmic examination, and Humphrey 24-2 automated visual field testing. RESULTS: The GSS has 2 underlying domains that demonstrate sufficient internal consistency reliability for between-group comparisons. The GSS discriminates well between persons with and without glaucoma. Additionally, tests of association with clinical markers of glaucoma severity support the clinical validity of the measure and tests of association with established vision-targeted measures provide evidence of construct validity. CONCLUSION: The simplicity, brevity, and psychometric properties of the GSS support its use in clinical practice and research to quantify symptoms in patients with glaucoma and to assist in investigations concerning the effect of glaucoma and treatments.

Cross-Sectional Studies↗
PubMed2004

Retinal venous pulsation in glaucoma and glaucoma suspects.

PURPOSE: To determine whether changes in central retinal vein pulsation characteristics occur in glaucoma, and how these are related to indices of glaucoma severity. DESIGN: A large, consecutive, prospective, case-controlled study. PARTICIPANTS: Ninety-four consecutive glaucoma patients and 105 glaucoma suspects seen in a tertiary referral clinic were examined. Forty-one age-matched normal subjects also were examined. METHODS: The presence or absence of spontaneous venous pulsation was observed in these 3 groups. The ophthalmodynamometric force (ODF) required to induce venous pulsation at the optic disc was measured in those without spontaneous pulsation. Optic disc photographs were obtained and visual field testing was performed for all subjects. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The prevalence of spontaneous venous pulsation between these 3 groups was compared. The relationship between ODF and visual field mean deviation, neuroretinal rim area, age, intraocular pressure (IOP), gender, and diagnosis of glaucoma was investigated using linear mixed models fitted by Gibb's sampling. RESULTS: Significantly fewer (chi-square, 27.7; P<0.001) glaucoma patients (54%) were observed to have spontaneous venous pulsation than suspects (75%) or normals (98%). A worse visual field mean deviation was shown to be the most significant predictor of a higher ODF (P<0.000), with younger age (P<0.000) also predictive of a higher ODF. A strong relationship between ODF and mean deviation was found in the glaucoma patients (r = 0.59; n = 52; P<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Spontaneous venous pulsation is less common in glaucoma. The ODF required to induce venous pulsation is increased in glaucoma, and this ODF is greater in those with more severe field loss.

Aged↗
PubMed2006

Associations between elevated intraocular pressure and glaucoma, use of glaucoma medications, and 5-year incident cataract: the Blue Mountains Eye Study.

PURPOSE: To examine incident relationships between elevated intraocular pressure (IOP), open-angle glaucoma (OAG), and use of glaucoma medications with 5-year incident cataract. DESIGN: Population-based cohort study. PARTICIPANTS: The Australian Blue Mountains Eye Study examined 3654 participants > or =50 years old at baseline (82.4% response; 1992-1994); 2335 eligible participants were reexamined after 5 years (75.1% response; 1997-1999). METHODS: A detailed medical and ocular history, including current medications, was taken, and a comprehensive eye examination, including applanation tonometry, automated perimetry, and lens photography, was performed at each examination. The Wisconsin system was used to grade lens photographs in assessing incident nuclear, cortical, and posterior subcapsular cataract (PSC). Data from both eyes were assessed using generalized estimating equation analyses. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Elevated IOP was defined as > or =21 mmHg. Open-angle glaucoma was diagnosed from typical glaucomatous field loss with matching optic disc cupping, without reference to IOP. Subjects without OAG or secondary or angle-closure glaucoma with IOP > 21 mmHg in either eye were classified as having ocular hypertension (OH), as were non-OAG subjects with IOP < 22 mmHg using glaucoma medications. Wisconsin levels 4 to 5 were graded as nuclear cataract, at least 5% lens involvement was graded as cortical cataract, and any PSC defined its presence. RESULTS: The 5-year incidence of nuclear cataract was 23.4% (592/2532), or 23.1% (574/2486) after excluding subjects using glaucoma medication. A marginally significant association was found for elevated IOP or OH at baseline and incident nuclear cataract (odds ratio [OR], 1.93 [95% confidence interval (CI), 0.97-3.89], and OR, 1.83 [95% CI, 0.96-3.48], respectively) in subjects not using glaucoma medications, after multivariate adjustment. Age- and gender-adjusted analyses showed similar but statistically significant associations. The association between elevated IOP or OH and nuclear cataract was significant in multivariate analyses (OR, 2.07 [95% CI, 1.04-3.12], and OR, 1.78 [95% CI, 1.05-3.01], respectively). Use of glaucoma medications was associated with nonsignificantly increased adjusted odds for incident nuclear cataract (OR, 1.90 [95% CI, 0.92-3.92]). No associations, however, were found with incident cortical cataract or PSC. CONCLUSIONS: Elevated IOP may increase the risk of nuclear cataract, but not that of other types. The use of glaucoma medications could magnify this risk.

Aged↗
PubMed2002

Bradykinin sensitivity in primary open-angle glaucoma and normal-tension glaucoma patients.

PURPOSE: To report the reaction after intradermal injection of bradykinin in nonglaucoma, primary open-angle glaucoma, and normal-tension glaucoma subjects. DESIGN: Prospective comparative study. METHODS: The study participants were 14 healthy control subjects, 16 patients with primary open-angle glaucoma, and 15 patients with normal-tension glaucoma. In each participant, the wheal response to intradermal injection of 10 microg bradykinin in the volar forearm was measured by a masked observer. RESULTS: There was no significant difference in the wheal response to bradykinin between control subjects and primary open-angle glaucoma patients (P =.73) and between primary open-angle glaucoma patients and normal-tension glaucoma patients (P =.09). However, there was a significant difference in the wheal response to bradykinin between control subjects and normal-tension glaucoma patients (P =.04). CONCLUSIONS: These in vivo structure-activity studies may suggest abnormalities of the tissue kallikrein-kinin system in normal-tension glaucoma.

Adult↗
PubMed2001

Contribution of multiple glaucoma medications to visual function and quality of life in patients with glaucoma.

BACKGROUND: Previous studies examining the correlation between medical treatment and overall quality of life in patients with glaucoma assessed differences between a glaucoma population and a matched group (without glaucoma) and were not aimed specifically at detecting a relation between visual acuity, visual field status and medication use, and visual function and quality of life. We performed a study to determine this relation in patients with chronic open-angle glaucoma (COAG). METHODS: The study was cross-sectional. Of 235 English-speaking patients with a diagnosis of COAG, normal-pressure glaucoma or suspected glaucoma (receiving therapy) seen in a university-based glaucoma practice between Feb. 1 and Apr. 30, 1998, 224 (95.3%) agreed to participate. All subjects completed two questionnaires: the Visual Function Assessment and the EQ-5D, assessing health status (quality of life). Visual acuity, diagnosis, age, sex, country of birth, type and number of medications for topical and for oral use, dosage, and history of laser treatment and surgery were extracted from the medical record. Pearson rank correlation and multivariate analyses were performed. RESULTS: On univariate analysis visual function was correlated with age, visual acuity, number of glaucoma medications, number of applications of eyedrops, mean deviation in better eye, mean deviation in worse eye, and lower hemifield involvement in both eyes. On multivariate analysis only visual acuity and visual field status were independently associated with visual function. Univariate analysis showed that health status was correlated with age, visual function and number of medications for oral use; however, age failed to retain statistical significance in the regression analysis. INTERPRETATION: Our results suggest that the number of glaucoma medications is not predictive of quality of life.

Adult↗
PubMed2005

[New aspects of corneal pachymetry in congenital glaucoma and pediatric aphakic glaucoma].

BACKGROUND: Knowledge of individual corneal thickness in individual eyes is proving to be more and more crucial for correcting Goldmann applanation tonometry, as well as to assess its predictive value regarding the possible progression of glaucomatous damage. It has become an important factor in determining appropriate glaucoma therapy. Only few pachymetric data exist about eyes with congenital or secondary pediatric aphakic glaucoma. METHODS: 12 eyes with congenital glaucoma (6 patients, mean age 3.3 years, mean 3.9 previous operations) and 7 eyes with secondary pediatric aphakic glaucoma (4 patients, mean age 14.8 years, mean 3 previous operations) without clinical signs of corneal decompensation were investigated by ultrasound pachymetry. RESULTS: Eyes with glaucoma due to aphakia had a mean corneal thickness of 708 +/- 77.3 microm. Mean corneal thickness of the eyes with congenital glaucoma was 688.1 +/- 115.9 microm, which is far above the values known from the literature. Two eyes, which had a central corneal thickness of 646 microm and 640 microm, presented with a localised paracentral corneal thickness of only 402 microm and 405 microm, respectively, correlating with microscopic descemet scars. CONCLUSIONS: Congenital glaucoma and the pediatric aphakic glaucoma present with very heterogeneous clinical pictures. Especially for congenital glaucoma, this is confirmed by the high interindividual, but also intraindividual, variability of corneal pachymetry.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1997

[Are there genuine and pseudo-normal pressure glaucomas? Body position-dependent intraocular pressure values in normal pressure glaucoma].

BACKGROUND: Elevation of intraocular pressure in the supine position has been previously described in literature. Aim of this study is to investigate the elevation of intraocular pressure in normal tension glaucoma and its effect on the morphology of the optic disc, visual field function and capillary blood flow of the retina and optic disc. PATIENTS AND METHODS: 56 eyes of 28 preperimetric and advanced normal tension glaucoma patients were prospectively evaluated. Ten eyes of ten normal patients served as a control group for the measurements of the intraocular pressure. In the course of a 24-h pressure profile applanation tonometry was performed in the morning in a supine and three and ten minutes later in a sitting position with Draeger's and Goldmann's tonometers. Arterial blood pressure was measured at the same time. The optic disc's morphology was evaluated by stereo photographs and Laser Scanning Tomography. As a sensory test computer perimetry was used. Capillary blood flow was measured at defined areas of the retina and optic disc. An intraocular pressure above 21 mm Hg in the supine position was used as a criterium to define two groups of normal tension glaucoma patients. RESULTS: In the supine position a statistically significant elevation of intraocular pressure was observed in 24 normal tension glaucoma patients by 6.2 +/- 2.8 mm Hg up to 21.8 +/- 3 mm Hg. Diastolic blood pressure in the supine position (80 +/- 10.5 mm Hg) was significantly lower than in the sitting position (94 +/- 11 mm Hg, p = 0.021). 12 of 28 normal tension glaucoma patients showed an intraocular pressure lower than 22 mm Hg in the supine position. In these patients a tendency towards a higher incidence for the occurrence of optic disc haemorrhages and significantly higher values for blood flow (p < 0.0005) and volume (p < 0.005) in the retina and optic nerve head could be shown. In this group of normal pressure glaucoma patients a higher incidence of migraine and vasospastic complaints was reported in the patients' history. CONCLUSION: In this study some normal tension glaucoma patients showed intraocular pressures in the supine position higher than 21 mm Hg and a lower diastolic arterial pressure. The higher incidence of haemorrhages and higher values for flow and volume parameters of the optic disc in normal tension glaucoma patients with an intraocular pressure lower than 22 mm Hg implicate the existence of two entities: real and pseudo normal tension glaucomas.

Adult↗
PubMed1988

[The parapapillary region of normal and glaucoma eyes. I. Planimetric values of 312 glaucoma and 125 normal eyes].

Magnification-corrected planimetry of the parapapillary region was performed according to Littmann's method in 312 unselected eyes with chronic primary open-angle glaucoma and in 125 normal eyes of an age- and refraction-matched control group using optic disk photographs. The glaucoma group was divided into five pathomorphologic subgroups. High myopics (less than -8.00 D) and "ocular hypertensives" had been excluded. The coefficient of variation ranged intraindividually from 0.0 to 0.17 and interindividually from 0.0 to 0.16. Two different morphologic variants were defined and examined: 1) Zone "Alpha" with incipient to advanced parapapillary chorio-pigmentepithelio-retinal atrophy - characterized by irregular hypo- and hyperpigmentation - was statistically proven in the control group (0.60 +/- 0.44 mm2; p less than 0.05; Wilcoxon-Mann-Whitney test) to be smaller than in the glaucoma group (0.81 +/- 0.70 mm2). It increased significantly (p = 0.0000) with advancing glaucoma stage. In the glaucoma and normal group it was broadest in the temporal horizontal sector (p less than 0.001; Wilcoxon test), followed by the temporal lower (p less than 0.001), temporal upper (p less than 0.001) and nasal sectors (p less than 0.001). There was no significant difference in prevalence between the two groups. 2) Zone "Beta" with subtotal to total parapapillary chorio-pigment-epithelio-retinal atrophy was also smaller in the normal eyes (0.18 +/- 0.52 mm2, prevalence: 20.0%; p = 0.0000) than in the glaucomatous ones (0.85 +/- 1.42 mm2, prevalence 66.7%) and was also, in both groups, broadest in the temporal horizontal sector, followed by the temporal lower, temporal upper and nasal sectors. In the control group it was smaller than zone "Alpha" (p less than 0.00001), while in the glaucoma group there was no difference. 3) The difference between normal eyes and earliest glaucoma stage I was for zone "Beta" (p = 0.0000); the difference between the normal eyes and those of glaucoma stage II was significant for both zones (p = 0.0000 and p less than 0.05, respectively). In both groups and in all glaucoma stages both zones were larger in the lower half of the optic disk than in the upper half. 4) "Conus pigmentosus" and the peripapillary scleral rim in normal and glaucomatous eyes showed no significant difference as regards their area and frequency. The parapapillary chorio-pigmentepithelio-retinal alterations are precursors of, or are equivalent to the so-called "halo glaucomatosus".(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Adolescent↗
PubMed2005

The impact of a nationwide introduction of new drugs and a treatment protocol for glaucoma on the number of glaucoma surgeries.

PURPOSE: To study the trend in number of glaucoma surgeries, and the influence hereon of the introduction of new glaucoma medication, reimbursement of its costs, and the introduction of a treatment protocol. METHODS: Out of the Dutch Health Care Registration, all open angle glaucoma and ocular hypertension patients aged 20 years and older, who underwent glaucoma surgery were selected. Over the period 1995 until 2003 the trend in the number of monthly performed glaucoma surgeries was described by LOESS spline procedure. RESULTS: From 1995 until 2003, 15,888 surgeries were included. Overall mean age was 67.5 years (SD 13.0). Mean age declined by 0.29 year per year (95% CI, 0.21-0.37). In 1995 and 1996 the number of yearly performed glaucoma surgeries was approximately 2400. From 1997 onwards this number started to decrease, resulting in a 45% decrease in the year 2000. From 2000 on the number of surgeries stabilized at approximately 1350 per year. In 1999 the total number of prescriptions rose by 20% compared with 1998, and then stabilized. In 2002, 48% of the prescriptions were prescriptions for new medication. CONCLUSION: The number of glaucoma surgeries in the Netherlands almost halved over a 3.5-year period, most likely due to the introduction of new medications. In the remaining study period the number leveled off. From the present data a substitution effect and not merely a postponement of glaucoma surgeries may be suggested, providing additional evidence that a sustained reduction in the number of glaucoma surgeries was reached in the studied period.

Adult↗
PubMed1996

Prevalence of open-angle glaucoma in central Sweden. The Tierp Glaucoma Survey.

A population-based survey of 760 people 65-74 years of age was conducted in the municipality of Tierp, central Sweden. The methods used to identify glaucoma suspects were applanation tonometry, automatic perimetry (Competer 350), and binocular assessment of the optic disc. For a diagnosis of definite open-angle glaucoma, a visual field defect was required. Open-angle glaucoma was found at a prevalence of 5.70% (95% confidence interval: 4.12-7.27), which is higher than those figures reported for comparable surveys carried out on white populations. The occurrence of capsular glaucoma may in part explain this finding. Twenty of the 45 open-angle glaucomas were diagnosed before the survey. In this category, capsular glaucoma accounted for 60%, whereas 84% of cases detected during the survey were chronic simple glaucomas. Eight cases (18%) were classified as normal tension glaucoma, all of whom were diagnosed during the survey. Chronic simple glaucoma was significantly more prevalent in males than in females.

Aged↗
PubMed2006

Glaucoma screening during regular optician visits: can the population at risk of developing glaucoma be reached?

AIM: To determine the percentage of the population at risk of developing glaucoma, which can potentially be reached by conducting glaucoma screening during regular optician visits. METHODS: 1,200 inhabitants aged >40 years were randomly selected from Dutch community population databases. A questionnaire was mailed to these inhabitants with questions on their latest optician visit and risk factors for glaucoma. A second questionnaire was sent to their opticians, who were asked about their willingness to conduct an additional glaucoma screening programme in the future. RESULTS: The questionnaire was returned by 959 of 1,200 inhabitants and 37 of 50 opticians. The percentage of inhabitants who visited an optician during a 5-year period was 83% (95% confidence interval (CI) 80% to 85%). This percentage was adjusted for the presence of risk factors for glaucoma to obtain the percentage of the population at risk of developing glaucoma. The percentage of opticians willing to cooperate in a glaucoma screening programme extended beyond a non-contact tonometry measurement alone was 91% (95% CI 77% to 98%). CONCLUSION: By conducting glaucoma screening during regular optician visits, a large section of the population at risk of developing glaucoma can be reached.

Aged↗
PubMed1980

Glaucoma, "auditory glaucoma", "articular glaucoma" and the third eye.

Galucoma may be one of a set of "baropathic" disorders including tinnitus, Meniere's disease, arthritis and bursitis caused by transport dysfunction in the "tissue membranes" of the set of closed "tissue cells" envisioned by The Tissue Cell Theory of Metazoa and which result, in turn, from prostaglandin disturbances induced by primary or secondary essential fatty acid deficiencies possibly coupled with immunopathic effects.

Arthritis↗