Intra-ocular pressure, glaucoma, and glaucoma suspects in a defined population.

Abstract

TOTAL population studies are the only certain way of gaining reliable information on the prevalence of insidious conditions like chronic simple glaucoma. The sine qua non of a total population study is exact knowledge of the composition of the population. In the Rhondda valley the Medical Research Council has laboriously carried out a census so that the exact number of persons and their age and sex are known for this area. Over the past 15 years the M.R.C. has earned the co-operation of this population by its efforts in detecting miners' pneumoconiosis, pulmonary tuberculosis, and other diseases. Such a situation was admirably suited for a total population study of the prevalence of glaucoma, and in the summer of 1963 the authors carried out such a study. To our knowledge the only previous similar study is that done by Str6mberg (1962) at Skovde in Sweden.The aims of our study were fourfold:(1) Collection of reliable data on the distribution of intra-ocular pressure in an unselected population when measured with both indentation and applanation tonometers.(2) Selection from this population of a group of persons who by conventional ophthalmological opinion were glaucoma suspects, so as to study these people and attempt a randomized trial of medical therapy.(3) The detection of unknown cases of glaucoma and estimation of the true prevalence of glaucoma of all types.(4) Tabulation of the extent of eye disease in an unselected population. Methods of Survey (1) The PopulationThree villages were chosen as containing a population that was considered to be of manageable size. All were covered by the M.R.C. census. The age and sex composition of the population is shown in Table I (opposite).In view of the difficulty of examining the very old, it was decided that persons above 75 years of age would not be examined. The lower limit was set at 40 years. There were 4,608 persons within these age limits, of whom we examined 4,231-91-9 per cent. The 8 1 per cent. who were not examined were interviewed and if they gave a history of treatment for eye disease details were sought at the medical centre involved. We feel that the coverage of this survey is adequate and better than most studies of this size. A team of professional *

The influence of age, gender, refractive error, and optic disc size on the optic disc configuration in Japanese normal eyes

“…Recent epidemiological studies have revealed that IOP increases with age in Caucasians, but decreases with age in Japanese, and that the prevalence of normal tension glaucoma between Japanese and Caucasians is different (Bengtsson 1981;Hollows & Graham 1966;Leibowitz et al 1980;Shiose et al 1991). Many reports have revealed that the C/D ratio increases significantly with IOP (Healey et al 1997).…”

Angle-closure glaucoma in East Asian and European people. Different diseases?

“…Sparse data suggest that PAC and PACG are uncommon among European-derived people, with prevalence ranging from 0.04% in the Beaver Dam Study, 20 0.06% in Melbourne, 21 0.09% in Wales, 22 0.4% in Baltimore (Oral communication, from JM Tielsch, PhD ) to 0.6% in North Italy. 23 Again, the differences in diagnostic definition and insufficient power detecting the small prevalence make further comparison difficult.…”

Ethnic aspects of acute primary angle closure in a UK mulicultural conurbation

“…In a Welsh valley population study in 1966, the prevalence rate for PACG for Caucasian individuals over 40 years was 0.09%. 7 The prevalence rate in Northern Italy, including both chronic and occludable angles was similar for residents over 40 years at 0.6%. 8 ACG is uncommon in AfroCaribbean individuals who are, however, at enhanced risk of primary open angle glaucoma.…”