The Pattern Of Glaucoma In Patients Attending The Eye Clinic At Juba Teaching Hospital, South Sudan

Abstract

Background: Glaucoma is an irreversibly blinding eye disease which damages the optic nerve head fibres. The disease may be asymptomatic in certain clinical types, until advanced stage, so much emphasis is to be given for early diagnosis. Objective: The objectives of the study were to (i) assess the patterns of glaucoma in patients attending the eye clinic; (ii) establish the causes of secondary glaucoma in these patients; and document the treatment modality employed Study Design: This study was a cross-sectional hospital based study conducted in the eye clinic at Juba Teaching Hospital, Juba South Sudan. Study Population: Study population comprised of all glaucoma patients aged 40 years and above attending the eye clinic at Juba Teaching Hospital during the study period. Data Management and Analysis: All data was stored in password protected files kept under lock and key by the principal investigator to avoid elicit data access Descriptive analysis was done to determine means, frequencies and proportions of the various variables and findings presented by means of graphs, tables and charts where appropriate. Proportionate test was used to compare proportions of the categorical and continuous variables describing demographics and pattern of glaucoma. Results: Almost all patients attending the eye clinic (99.2%) had open angle glaucoma and only 0.8% had angle closure glaucoma. Most patients were in the age group 50 to 59 (35.3%).Males patients were significantly more than the females M: F Ratio (1.5:1) (p=0.043). Majority of the patients (72%) did not have family history of glaucoma or other risk factors. Hypertension, diabetes mellitus, trauma, glaucoma, and myopia are conditions that would increase susceptibility to glaucoma. Patients presented to hospital because of symptoms of reduced vision, with many already blind in at least one eye (46.2%). Further, majority of patients on medical treatment were using beta-blocker (81.5%) with a few patients using prostaglandins xiv (1.7%) medication. Moreover, considerable number of patients were not on medication (16.8%). Recommendations: Our study recommends improving awareness and increasing knowledge about glaucoma especially among persons affected by the condition, as well as training glaucoma specialists. Also, policy makers come should come up with strategies which promote earlier detection and promote greater acceptance and adherence to glaucoma treatment. Finally, it was recommended that cost of glaucoma medication be subsidized