Glaucoma is one of the most intractable and dreadful eye problem in ophthalmology at present time. The object at this survey was to analyse all cases of glaucoma in which the condition was diagnosed as such in clinical records.
The diagnosis were classified as follows:
A. Primary glaucoma
1. Adult primary glaucoma
a) Open angle glaucoma
b) Closed angle glaucoma
2. Infantile glaucoma
B. Secondary glaucoma
The records for 105 patients with glaucoma seen at the Yonsei University, Severance Hospital during the 5 years from 1956 to 1960 were examined and analysed.
One the basis of total 15,433 cases which came to the eye clinic, this represents an incidence of glaucoma of 0.68%
In the group, 38 cases of secondary glaucoma were found which correspond to 36% of total series of cases.
Trauma and Uveitis were the two most prominent factor in causation of secondary glaucoma.
67cases of primary glaucoma are reported which correspond to 0.43% of total series of cases. Incidence was much less than Europe and United States.
48% was open angle type and 52% was closed angle type. These are analysed on the basis of age, sex, previous treatment, and visual acutity.
In the series of 67 cases of primary glaucoma, the greatest incidence was found for the persons in the 6th and 7th decade of life.
Majority of cases (57%) had had no previous treatment. Over 70% of cases of all type of glaucoma had vision already reduced below 20.200 when patient first presented themselves at hospital. This is one of the most significant finding from the stand point of public health.
This is a comentary on th state of ignorance of early signs and symptoms of glaucoma existent among the patient.
Further evaluation and surveys are needed for exploration of glaucoma entity.
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