Glaucoma risk factors
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Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1] Associate Editor(s)-in-Chief: Rohan Bir Singh, M.B.B.S.[2]
Risk factors
Primary Open Angle Glaucoma
- Age : The risk increases with the increase in age.The visual field defects were 7 times more likely to progress in patients aged 60 years or older than in those younger than 40 years. Although increased lOP with age has been observed in many populations and may account for part of the relationship between age and glaucoma, studies in Japan have shown a relationship between glaucoma and age even with no increase in lOP in the population.
- Race : The prevalence of POAG is 3 to 4 times greater in black persons and Hispanic persons than in non-Hispanic white individuals. Blindness from glaucoma is at least 4 times more common in blacks than in whites. Glaucoma is more likely to be diagnosed at a younger age and likely to be at a more advanced stage at the time of diagnosis in black patients than in white patients.The Baltimore Eye Survey found that the prevalence of glaucoma increases dramatically with age, particularly among black persons, exceeding 11% in those aged 80 years or older.
- Family History : A positive family history is also a risk factor for POAG. The relative risk of POAG is increased approximately 3.7-fold for individuals who have a sibling with POAG.
- Myopia : The evidence supports an association between POAG and myopia. The concurrence of POAG and myopia cause difficulty in diagnosis and management of POAG. There is an increased difficulty in evaluation of the optic disc is particularly complicated in highly myopic eyes that have tilted discs or posterior Staphyloma. The magnification of the disc due to the myopic refractive error interferes with optic disc evaluation. Myopia-related retinal abnormalities can cause visual field defects apart along with glaucoma. High refractive error may also make it difficult to perform accurate perimetric measurement and to interpret visual field abnormalities.
Anyone can develop glaucoma, however some people are at higher risk than others. The most important risk factor for glaucoma is ocular hypertension. Individuals at a higher risk of developing glaucoma include:
- African Americans over age 40.
- Everyone over age 60, especially Mexican Americans.
- People with a family history of glaucoma.
Among African Americans, studies show that glaucoma is:
- Five times more likely to occur in African Americans than in Caucasians.
- About four times more likely to cause blindness in African Americans than in Caucasians.
- Fifteen times more likely to cause blindness in African Americans between the ages of 45-64 than in Caucasians of the same age group.
A comprehensive dilated eye exam can reveal more risk factors, such as:
- High eye pressure
- Thinness of the cornea
- Abnormal optic nerve anatomy.
In some people with certain combinations of these high-risk factors, medicines in the form of eye drops reduce the risk of developing glaucoma by about half.