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Older open-angle glaucoma patients face increased risk of bilateral blindness
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Older patients with a long-term diagnosis of open-angle glaucoma had an increased risk of bilateral blindness, according to a study.
The retrospective chart review included 592 glaucoma patients in Sweden who died between January 2006 and June 2010. Patient records were reviewed for visual field status, visual acuity, and low vision or blindness that was caused by glaucoma at the time of diagnosis and during follow-up.
“By including only dead patients we had access to almost complete follow-up data for all patients, making it easy to determine the ‘final’ percentage of blind eyes and patients,” the study authors said.
Glaucoma was diagnosed for a median of 12 years. Bilateral blindness developed at a median age of 86 years, and it existed for a median duration of 2 years.
Bilateral glaucoma was present in 372 patients (62.8%) before death. By the last visit, 250 patients (42.2%) were blind in at least one eye because of glaucoma, 97 patients (16.4%) were bilaterally blind, and 12 patients (0.5%) had low vision.
Incidence of blindness in one eye and bilateral blindness from glaucoma were 26.5% and 5.5% at 10 years and 38.1% and 13.5% at 20 years, respectively.
Disclosure: Heijl is a consultant to Carl Zeiss Meditec, Allergan and Alcon. Bengtsson is a consultant to Carl Zeiss Meditec.
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