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Abstract #10084 Published in IGR 6-1
Glaucoma screening in Martinique: Results in 813 hospital employees
Merle H; Renard A; Donnio A; Richer R; Ayeboua L; Ensfelder G; Ventura EJournal Français d'Ophtalmologie 2004; 27: 136-142
INTRODUCTION: Several US and Jamaican studies have shown that glaucoma is more severe in black populations than in Caucasian populations, which would lead to the assumption that the people of Martinique have a high glaucoma risk. METHODS: A prospective study was conducted on workers at the Fort de France University Hospital with the occupational medicine unit. Intraocular pressure (IOP) was measured with a pulse air tonometer (Topcon CT 60) and visual field abnormalities were detected with automated perimetry using Humphrey frequency doubling technology (FDT). Patients with known glaucoma or with IOP over 21 mmHg and/or a visual field abnormality were referred to ophthalmology examination in order to diagnose ocular hypertension, open-angle glaucoma, or normal-pressure glaucoma. RESULTS: The occupational medicine unit examined 813 workers. The sex ratio was 0.36, mean age was 45.35 ± 8.4 years (22-64 years), and mean IOP was 12.1 ± 2.62 mmHg (6-28 mmHg). Roughly 20% of workers had a family history of glaucoma. The authors found 22 patients with glaucoma (2.7%; CI95: 1.6%-4%): 12 patients had open-angle glaucoma (1.5%) and ten were diagnosed with normal-pressure glaucoma (1.3%). Glaucoma prevalence increased with age, reaching 8% in patients over 55 years of age. Of patients with normal-pressure glaucoma, 42.9% had a family history of glaucoma. CONCLUSIONS: These results confirm previous data from the literature which found a higher prevalence of glaucoma in black people and in particular in the mixed-race population of Martinique. In addition to this ethnic feature, the insularity of Martinique could support glaucoma expression. Easy and fast to use, FDT associated with the pulse air tonometer provides early detection of glaucoma. LA: French
Dr. H. Merle, Service d'Ophtalmologie, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Fort de France, Hopital Pierre Zobda-Quitman. harold.merle@chu-fortdefrance.fr
Classification:
1.6 Prevention and screening (Part of: 1 General aspects)