In search for increased prevalence rates of strabismus and microstrabismus in two Bavarian districts, Oberpfalz and Niederbayern, to spot populations for gene identification.

PURPOSE

This study was intended to identify communities with an increased prevalence rate of inherited eye diseases (different forms of strabismus, juvenile maculopathy, AMD, myopia magna, etc.) in the districts Oberpfalz (Opf.) and Niederbayern (Ndb.). The data obtained in this study will serve to identify larger families and inbred populations for genetic testing to identify the cause of eye diseases with autosomal recessive and multifactorial inheritance.

DESIGN

In cooperation with the local ophthalmologists in two Bavarian districts anonymized lists were compiled correlating diagnosis, postal code, and municipality of strabismus patients. The office software used in the participating practices was a limiting factor as well as the hand-written records used in most of these. The collected data were correlated with the published prevalence rates in the general population.

RESULTS

Of the 104 local ophthalmologists who were invited to participate, only 17 provided information. The results indicate an increased prevalence rate of strabismus and microstrabismus patients from Neumarkt (Opf.) / Postbauer-Heng, Amberg, Hauzenberg and Pocking.

CONCLUSION

Documentation as it is currently done - local ophthalmologist generally have written records and computer systems that are unsuitable for detailed surveys - restricts the possibility of completing the survey in the whole area. Nevertheless, regional accumulations of strabismus/microstrabismus could be described, providing populations for further investigations to uncover the genetic causes.