Incidence of blindness in open-angle glaucoma in Sweden: a long-term follow-up study

Background: Open-angle glaucoma (OAG) is a leading cause of irreversible blindness. There are no prospective studies on the risk of developing blindness in both eyes in individuals with definite OAG. Methods: A total of 354 patients with newly diagnosed OAG, who had participated in four studies cond...

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Main Authors: Curt Ekström, Christoffer Carlsson
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Upsala Medical Society 2024-10-01
Series:Upsala Journal of Medical Sciences
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Online Access:https://ujms.net/index.php/ujms/article/view/10664/17925
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author Curt Ekström
Christoffer Carlsson
author_facet Curt Ekström
Christoffer Carlsson
author_sort Curt Ekström
collection DOAJ
description Background: Open-angle glaucoma (OAG) is a leading cause of irreversible blindness. There are no prospective studies on the risk of developing blindness in both eyes in individuals with definite OAG. Methods: A total of 354 patients with newly diagnosed OAG, who had participated in four studies conducted at the Eye Department in Tierp, Sweden, from 1979 to 2006, were included in the investigation. Using the World Health Organization’s criteria for blindness, medical records, glaucoma case records, and visual fields were reviewed to identify patients who developed bilateral blindness. Incidence proportions and incidence rates were estimated. To assess potential risk factors for blindness, standardised morbidity ratios (SMRs) were calculated. The effects of age and sex were also analysed using Cox proportional hazard models. Results: By the end of the study in August 2023, 33 cases of blindness caused by OAG had been found, corresponding to an incidence proportion of 9.3% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 6.5–12.8%). Within the first 20 years, 29 cases were detected, yielding a proportion of 8.2% (95% CI: 5.5–11.6%). The incidence rate was estimated to be 8.6 per 1,000 person-years (95% CI: 5.9–12.6 per 1,000 person-years). Glaucoma-related blindness was associated with male sex (SMR 2.33; 95% CI: 1.13–4.80). The hazard ratio was doubled for every 5 year of increasing age (2.21; 95% CI: 1.60–3.05). Conclusion: In this study of blindness in newly diagnosed OAG in a Swedish population, approximately one in 10 patients progressed to bilateral blindness caused by the disease. Old age and male sex were identified as significant risk factors.
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spelling doaj-art-416122c4e74f4edc9e16fb24b976c1792024-11-09T09:40:36ZengUpsala Medical SocietyUpsala Journal of Medical Sciences0300-97342000-19672024-10-011291510.48101/ujms.v129.1066410664Incidence of blindness in open-angle glaucoma in Sweden: a long-term follow-up studyCurt Ekström0Christoffer Carlsson1Department of Surgical Sciences, Ophthalmology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, SwedenDepartment of Surgical Sciences, Ophthalmology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, SwedenBackground: Open-angle glaucoma (OAG) is a leading cause of irreversible blindness. There are no prospective studies on the risk of developing blindness in both eyes in individuals with definite OAG. Methods: A total of 354 patients with newly diagnosed OAG, who had participated in four studies conducted at the Eye Department in Tierp, Sweden, from 1979 to 2006, were included in the investigation. Using the World Health Organization’s criteria for blindness, medical records, glaucoma case records, and visual fields were reviewed to identify patients who developed bilateral blindness. Incidence proportions and incidence rates were estimated. To assess potential risk factors for blindness, standardised morbidity ratios (SMRs) were calculated. The effects of age and sex were also analysed using Cox proportional hazard models. Results: By the end of the study in August 2023, 33 cases of blindness caused by OAG had been found, corresponding to an incidence proportion of 9.3% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 6.5–12.8%). Within the first 20 years, 29 cases were detected, yielding a proportion of 8.2% (95% CI: 5.5–11.6%). The incidence rate was estimated to be 8.6 per 1,000 person-years (95% CI: 5.9–12.6 per 1,000 person-years). Glaucoma-related blindness was associated with male sex (SMR 2.33; 95% CI: 1.13–4.80). The hazard ratio was doubled for every 5 year of increasing age (2.21; 95% CI: 1.60–3.05). Conclusion: In this study of blindness in newly diagnosed OAG in a Swedish population, approximately one in 10 patients progressed to bilateral blindness caused by the disease. Old age and male sex were identified as significant risk factors.https://ujms.net/index.php/ujms/article/view/10664/17925blindnesscohort studyepidemiologyhealth caremale sexopen-angle glaucomapseudoexfoliationrisk factor
spellingShingle Curt Ekström
Christoffer Carlsson
Incidence of blindness in open-angle glaucoma in Sweden: a long-term follow-up study
Upsala Journal of Medical Sciences
blindness
cohort study
epidemiology
health care
male sex
open-angle glaucoma
pseudoexfoliation
risk factor
title Incidence of blindness in open-angle glaucoma in Sweden: a long-term follow-up study
title_full Incidence of blindness in open-angle glaucoma in Sweden: a long-term follow-up study
title_fullStr Incidence of blindness in open-angle glaucoma in Sweden: a long-term follow-up study
title_full_unstemmed Incidence of blindness in open-angle glaucoma in Sweden: a long-term follow-up study
title_short Incidence of blindness in open-angle glaucoma in Sweden: a long-term follow-up study
title_sort incidence of blindness in open angle glaucoma in sweden a long term follow up study
topic blindness
cohort study
epidemiology
health care
male sex
open-angle glaucoma
pseudoexfoliation
risk factor
url https://ujms.net/index.php/ujms/article/view/10664/17925
work_keys_str_mv AT curtekstrom incidenceofblindnessinopenangleglaucomainswedenalongtermfollowupstudy
AT christoffercarlsson incidenceofblindnessinopenangleglaucomainswedenalongtermfollowupstudy