Exfoliation syndrome prevalence in the glaucoma population of South Louisiana.

A prospective study was performed to determine the prevalence of exfoliation syndrome in a glaucoma population of South Louisiana. Five hundred consecutive open angle glaucoma patients over 50 years of age (median age 70.6 years) from both indigent clinic and private referral sources were examined for the presence of exfoliation material on the lens capsule. The prevalence in caucasian patients was 2.7%, blacks 0.4%, combined 1.4%. This compares with a reported prevalence of exfoliation syndrome among patients with open angle glaucoma in the United States of 3% to 28%, Denmark of 26%, Ireland of 66%, and Sweden of 75%. This low prevalence may be a reflection of the ethnic origin of the population, but other explanations are considered.