The Ibadan glaucoma study

Abstract

To obtain epidemiological data on the prevalence and risk factors for open angle glaucoma in hospital workers of African origin and investigate appropriate methods of rapid, cost-effective screening procedure for glaucoma. A cross-sectional study of workers, in the University College Hospital (UCH) Ibadan using a structured questionnaire for data collection. The variables available for data analysis include workers demographic characteristics, visual acuity, pupil status, intraocular pressure cup-disc ratio, centra visual fields, family history of glaucoma. Chronic diseases such as hypertension and diabetes. The data was analyzed with EPI-INFO version 6.02 for sample analysis, while the SPSS package was used for multivariate analysis. A total of two thousand One hundred and nine (2.109) UCH workers participated in the screening exercise for glaucoma. A high ma majority of the workers 1794 (85.1%) were negative to the diagnosis of glaucoma, while the remaining 315 (14.9%) were suspected to have glaucoma out of which 57 (2.7%) were confirm as definite glaucoma cases. The prevalence of glaucoma among UCH workers was 27 per 1000. 95%. confidence interval = 20 per 1000. 35 p e r 1000. Factors associated with glaucoma were relative afferent pupillary defect, cup-dis c ratio greater than 0.7, intraocular pressure, family history of glaucoma and the presence of chronic disease s such as diabetes. The left eye appears to have a higher probability of ocular problems compare d with the right eye The prevalence of glaucoma among hospital workers was 27% The cup-disc ratio appears to be a better diagnostic tool for glaucoma since it gives the best positive predictive value (with a cut-off point of 0.7) than all other variables.