Clinical and sociodemographic characteristics of glaucoma patients at a tertiary referral facility in Zimbabwe

Abstract

Purpose
To evaluate the clinical and socio-demographic profile of patients living with glaucoma and receiving care in a tertiary eye center in
Zimbabwe.
Method
A hospital-based retrospective study of clinical records of glaucoma patients from January 2014 to December 2018. The study involved
collating demographic information of patients, visual acuities, (VA) intraocular pressure, (IOP), cup-to-disc ratios, (CDRs), average
retinal nerve fibers thickness, (RNFL), cup volume, cup-to-disc area, vertical cup-to-disc ratio, (VCDR), rim area, disc area, glaucoma
hemifield test, visual field indices and the management of glaucoma.
Results
Nine thousand one hundred and eighty-five (9,185) folders were retrieved. Out of these, 432 (4.7%) qualified for the study and were
analyzed. There were 267 (61.8%) males and 165 (38.2%) females. The mean age (± Standard deviation, SD) of the patients was 62.66
± 15.94 years, (range 10 - 110 years). The means visual acuity (VA): OD =1.30 ± 1.06 Logarithm of the Minimum Angle of Resolution,
(logMAR), OS = 1.33 ± 1.06 logMAR; IOP: OD = 29.51 ± 12.89 mmHg, OS: 29.17 ± 12.59 mmHg; CDRs: OD = 0.91 ± 0.14 D, OS
= 0.92 ± 0.14 D; and the average RNFL thickness was 72.76 ± 18.26 µm and 71.24 ± 23.17 µm in the right and left eye respectively.
The mainstay of treatment was medication only.
Conclusion
There were more males than females receiving glaucoma care at the tertiary level. Glaucoma cases included juveniles but the mean age
was mostly the elderly. It was characterized by high IOPs, large CDRs, and thin RNFL suggestive of late presentation.