Assessment of Risk Factors for Advanced Open Angle Glaucoma Presentation among Patients Visiting Jimma University Medical Center, Jimma, Ethiopia.

BACKGROUND

Glaucoma is the predominant cause of irreversible blindness, particularly the late presentation. The purpose of this study is to identify the risk factors associated with late presentation in Jimma University Medical Center.

METHODS

A case-control study was done among patients newly diagnosed to have open angle glaucoma (of any type) at Jimma University Medical Center from July 2014 - January 2019. Cases were patients/eyes diagnosed to have any type of open angle glaucoma with advanced glaucomatous disc features, whereas controls were patients diagnosed with early and moderate stages of glaucoma.

RESULTS

There were 205 (116 cases and 89 controls) participants. The mean age of the participants at the time of diagnosis was 58.3±13.4yrs. Family history of blindness, presenting IOP, type of glaucoma and age were independently associated with late presentation. Patients with family history of blindness had late advanced glaucoma five times higher than those with no family history of blindness. The presence of late glaucoma among patients with presenting intra ocular pressure < 30mmHg is lower than those having ≥30mmHg (Adjusted Odds Ratio= 0.136). Primary open-angle glaucoma patients were less likely to present with advanced glaucoma than pseudoexfoliative glaucoma patients (Adjusted Odds Ratio=0.39). The chance of presenting with late glaucoma was increased by 3.4% for every one year increment of age.

CONCLUSIONS

Presence of family history of blindness, high presenting intraocular pressure, pseudoexfoliative glaucoma and old age are risk factors for late presentation of glaucoma.