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Abstract #14316 Published in IGR 8-3
An investigation for the events that led the glaucoma patients to the hospital
Liu Y-L; Chen X-M; Li M; Li N; Liu D-J; Pan R-GOphthalmology in China 2006; 15: 54-58
PURPOSE: To investigate the triggers that referred the patients to hospital, so that the diagnosis of glaucoma was identified. DESIGN: Hos pital-based questionnaire survey. PARTICIPANTS: 287 consecutive primary glaucoma patients. METHODS: A questionnaire was administered to the patients. The questions included which hospital the patient was diagnosed initially, the reason that led the patient to hospital, the main ocular symptoms that the patient complained, and the most inpressive abnormality left to the patient, etc. Main outcome measures: The main reason and the symptom that led the patient to hospital, and the patient's deepest impression on glaucoma. RESULTS: Decreased vision (87.7%), ocular pain (80.8%) and bulbar hyperemia (78.1%) were the most common events that acute angle-closure glaucoma patients sought medical help. 39.7% of 136 patients with chronic angle-closure glaucoma and 46.2% of 78 patients with open angle glaucoma had decreased visions. Glaucoma was most frequently found due to patients come to realize some symptoms on themselves, although the symptoms were infrequently related to glaucoma. 25% of the patients had no any ocular symptom. Seventy-one of glaucoma patients (205 of 287) recalled elevated intraocular pressure (IOP) as the most important abnormality for their initial diagnosis. Seventy-five percent of the patients with chronic angle-closure glaucoma or open angle glaucoma were identified as middle or late stage of glaucoma at least one eye at the diagnostic visit. CONCLUSIONS: Because of the typical symptoms, the patients with acute angle-closure glaucoma could he diagnosed timely. In the early stage, chronic angle-closure glaucoma and open angle glaucoma might not have any symptom until the advanced stage, they were most frequently found due to some irrelevant symptoms, routine examinations, or having a positive family history. LA: Chinese
Dr. X.-M. Chen, West China Eye Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
