Razzak Amine, Bouazza Mohamed, Mouhib Loubna, Khamaily Mehdi, Elbelhadji Mohamed
Department of Ophthalmology, Cheikh Khalifa International University Hospital, Mohammed VI University of Sciences and Health, Casablanca, MAR.
Research Unit, Mohammed VI Center for Research and Innovation, Rabat, MAR.
Cureus. 2024 Sep 19;16(9):e69736. doi: 10.7759/cureus.69736. eCollection 2024 Sep.
Glaucoma, one of the leading causes of blindness worldwide, poses a significant public health challenge. Despite advancements in diagnostic technologies, early detection remains a challenge. This study assesses the relevance of glaucoma screening in a population-based context. Conducted in October 2023, this retrospective study involved 434 employees at two pharmaceutical laboratory sites. The average age was 44 years, with a female-to-male ratio of 0.7. A family history of glaucoma was reported in 74 participants (17%). Intraocular pressure (IOP) measurements showed that 20 participants (4.6%) had IOP above 21 mmHg, while the average IOP in the studied population was 15.5 mmHg. Glaucomatous damage to the optic nerve head was observed in 65 cases (15%). A total of 71 employees (16.5%), including 70% women, were re-examined in a hospital setting, where they underwent comprehensive ophthalmological examinations. Among them, 13 participants (18%) were diagnosed with glaucoma, representing 2.9% of the initially screened employees. This study highlights the ongoing challenge of preventing irreversible blindness due to glaucoma. Although the diagnostic approach used was effective for early detection among employees, the overall value of mass glaucoma screening remains debated. This debate is due to the disease's low prevalence, the lack of highly sensitive and specific screening tests, economic considerations, and the impact on the quality of life of those screened. Further studies are needed to evaluate the clinical effectiveness and economic efficiency of various screening strategies.
青光眼是全球主要致盲原因之一，对公共卫生构成重大挑战。尽管诊断技术有所进步，但早期检测仍是一项挑战。本研究评估了在基于人群的背景下青光眼筛查的相关性。这项回顾性研究于2023年10月进行，涉及两个制药实验室的434名员工。平均年龄为44岁，女性与男性的比例为0.7。74名参与者（17%）报告有青光眼家族史。眼压（IOP）测量显示，20名参与者（4.6%）的眼压高于21 mmHg，而研究人群的平均眼压为15.5 mmHg。65例（15%）观察到视神经乳头的青光眼性损害。共有71名员工（16.5%），其中70%为女性，在医院环境中接受了复查，他们接受了全面的眼科检查。其中，13名参与者（18%）被诊断为青光眼，占最初筛查员工的2.9%。本研究突出了预防青光眼导致不可逆失明这一持续存在的挑战。尽管所采用的诊断方法对员工的早期检测有效，但大规模青光眼筛查的总体价值仍存在争议。这种争议是由于该疾病的低患病率、缺乏高灵敏度和特异性的筛查测试、经济因素以及对筛查者生活质量的影响。需要进一步研究来评估各种筛查策略的临床有效性和经济效率。
