Survey of glaucoma in an eye clinic in Ghana, West Africa.

Journal Article (Journal Article)

PURPOSE: To report the various types of glaucoma among West African patients presenting to an eye clinic in Ghana. METHODS: A complete evaluation was performed in 198 consecutive Ghanaian glaucoma patients. Main outcome measures included intraocular pressure, visual acuity, gonioscopy findings, visual field, and total number of glaucoma medications. RESULTS: The most common form of glaucoma was primary open-angle glaucoma (44.2%). Open-angle glaucoma suspects also comprised a large percentage of the group (30.5%). Chronic angle-closure glaucoma was diagnosed in 6.6% of the patients. CONCLUSIONS: Primary open-angle glaucoma is the most common form of glaucoma being treated in this outpatient eye clinic in Ghana. Chronic angle-closure glaucoma was the second most common form of glaucoma in this series and was usually undiagnosed due to a lack of gonioscopic evaluation. Gonioscopy is an important diagnostic tool that should be promoted to guide more effective glaucoma treatment in this region. Pseudoexfoliation and pseudoexfoliation-associated glaucoma were not seen in this population.

Full Text

Duke Authors

Cited Authors

  • Herndon, LW; Challa, P; Ababio-Danso, B; Boateng, JO; Broomer, B; Ridenhour, P; Allingham, RR

Published Date

  • October 2002

Published In

Volume / Issue

  • 11 / 5

Start / End Page

  • 421 - 425

PubMed ID

  • 12362082

International Standard Serial Number (ISSN)

  • 1057-0829

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

  • 10.1097/00061198-200210000-00009

Language

  • eng

Conference Location

  • United States