Objective: To investigate the prevalence and characteristics of primary glaucoma in the population of Huamu community, Shanghai.
Methods: It was a population-based cross-section study.Using random cluster sampling method, 3 neighborhood committees were randomly selected from Huamu community. And this survey was carried out by screening in community combined with diagnosis in tertiary hospital from March to September 2011. Residents aged more than 50 years old were included in this study.Information was collected on the participants' presenting visual acuity with habitual correction and best corrected visual acuity, intraocular pressure (IOP) assessed with non-contact tonometer, ocular anterior segment examination results with slit lamp anterior segment photography, optic disc examination results with fundus photography. And all glaucoma suspects received IOP measurement, gonioscopy, visual field test, retinal nerve fiber layer thickness measurement in Shanghai Eye Disease Prevention and Treatment center.Glaucoma was diagnosed according to International Society for Geographic and Epidemiological Ophthalmology. Distributions of different types of primary glaucoma within different groups of gender and age were described, and prevalence rates of primary glaucoma between different groups were compared using chi-square test.
Results: Two thousands five hundreds and twenty-eight cases were examined and the respond rate was 80.36%. Prevalence of primary glaucoma was 3.09%, in which primary open angle glaucoma (POAG) and primary angle closure glaucoma (PACG) were 2.85% and 0.24%. The prevalence of POAG had upward trend with age. The blindness rate within one or both eyes caused by POAG and PACG was 12.5% and 3/6, and the blindness rate of POAG was lower compared with PACG. 88.89% of POAG in this investigation had not been previously diagnosed, and 100% of PACG had been previously diagnosed and received treatment.
Conclusions: The prevalence of primary glaucoma in Huamu community is relatively high and the previous diagnostic and treatment rate of POAG are relatively low. Early screening and health education for primary glaucoma are important in blindness prevention work in the future.