Glaucoma Diagnoses and Legal Blindness from Glaucoma among Bedouin Patients of Central Saudi Arabia: A Hospital-Based Study.

Journal: Middle East African Journal Of Ophthalmology
Published:
Abstract

Objective: The current study aims to know the glaucoma diagnoses and legal blindness from glaucoma among a tertiary referral center in Riyadh (King Abdulaziz Medical City [KAMC]-Riyadh patients).

Methods: This is a retrospective cohort study on chart review, where all eligible glaucoma patients attending the ophthalmology clinic at KAMC-Riyadh, between 2018 and 2019; were included.

Results: A total of 248 patients were included in the study; 142 patients (57.3%) were females and 106 (42.7%) were males. The mean age of the patients was 62.2 ± 18 years and most of them (93.5%) did not have a family history of glaucoma. Nearly one-quarter (26.6%; n = 66) of the included patients were legally blind, out of those, 36.4% had their right eye affected, 34.8% had their left eye affected, and 28.8% had both eyes affected. Legally, blind patients (LBGs) did not show a statistically significant reduction in the intraocular pressure (IOP) in the right eye (P = 0.103), on comparing the IOP in both visits. Nevertheless, there was a statistically significant reduction in the IOP of the left eye among the LBGs in both visits (P = 0.016). Regarding the nonblind group of patients, there were highly statistically significant reductions in both eyes (P < 0.001).

Conclusions: The present findings show a high prevalence rate of legal blindness among glaucoma patients, with IOP reduction, age, and glaucoma diagnoses being the most important predictors among the study population.

Authors
Yahya Al Najmi, Omar Kirat, Maram E Abdalla Elsayed, Mohammed Albeedh, Dawood Al Rashed, Abdulkareem Al Mohammed