Korean J Ophthalmol.  2011 Apr;25(2):110-115. 10.3341/kjo.2011.25.2.110.

Prevalence and Characteristics of Glaucoma among Korean Adults

• Kim JH
• Kang SY
• Kim NR
• Lee ES
• Hong S
• Seong GJ
• Hong YJ
• Kim CY

• KMID: 1111872
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.3341/kjo.2011.25.2.110

Abstract

PURPOSE
The purpose of this study was to investigate the prevalence and characteristics of glaucoma in the population of the rural Korean town, Sangju.
METHODS
Residents of Sangju aged greater than 50 years old were included in this study. Participants completed an interview examining their medical and ophthalmic history Information was collected on the participants' uncorrected and best corrected vision scores, slit lamp examination results, angle width measurements using the Van Herick technique, gonioscopy if the angle width was less than 1 / 4 angle, intraocular pressure (IOP) assessed with the Goldmann applanation tonometry, optic disc examination results, and a visual field test results using frequency-doubling perimetry in cases in which glaucoma was suspected. Glaucoma was diagnosed according to the criteria described by the International Society for Geographic and Epidemiological Ophthalmology.
RESULTS
1,118 residents aged greater than 50 years were examined initially from a population of 2,984 people. Of these, 671 subjects (60%) participated in this study. The prevalence of glaucoma was determined to be 3.4% (95% confidence interval [CI], 2.1-4.8). Open-angle glaucoma with low IOP was determined to be the most common form with a prevalence rate as high as 2.5% (95% CI, 1.8-3.7). Additionally, primary angle closure glaucoma was determined to have a prevalence rate of 0.3% (95% CI, 0.1-0.9). Open-angle glaucoma with low IOP accounted for 94.4% of the open-angle glaucoma cases.
CONCLUSIONS
The prevalence of glaucoma among the population of rural Sangju was 3.4%, and open-angle glaucoma with low IOP was the most common form accounting for 94.4% of the total number of cases.

Keyword

Epidemiology; Glaucoma; Open angle glaucoma; Prevalence

MeSH Terms

Age Distribution
Aged
Aged, 80 and over
Female
Glaucoma/*epidemiology/physiopathology
Humans
*Intraocular Pressure
Male
Middle Aged
Prevalence
Republic of Korea
Risk Factors
*Rural Population
*Urban Population

Figure

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  Fig. 1 Distribution of intraocular pressure (IOP) (total no. of subjects = 671; no. of subjects with glaucoma = 23).

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  Fig. 2 Distribution of vertical cup-to-disc ratio (VCDR) (total no. of subjects = 671; no. of subjects with glaucoma = 23).

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