To determine prevalence of glaucoma subtypes and legal blindness in patients on their first visit to an ophthalmic center
in the western region of Saudi Arabia a chart review analysis was carried out of new patients in 2006 with glaucoma diagnosis
in our Glaucoma Unit. Diagnosis was confirmed clinically and by glaucoma workup. The main outcome was prevalence of glaucoma
types and legal blindness from glaucoma. Of 2,354 new patients in 2006, 417 were glaucomatous. Mean age was 56.4 years and
mean intraocular pressure (IOP) was 26.5 mmHg; 54.4% had prior glaucoma diagnosis. Prevalence of primary open-angle glaucoma
was 30.5%, primary angle-closure 24.7%, neovascular 7.6%, surgically induced 6.5%, and exfoliative 5.2%. One-third of patients
were unilaterally legally blind, whereas 11.3% were bilateral. Primary glaucoma represents two-thirds of glaucoma cases in
Saudi Arabia. Approximately one-half of patients were legally blind in at least one eye at time of presentation.
Keywords Glaucoma - Prevalence - Legal blindness - Hospital-based study
Presented at the XXV Congress of the ESCRS meeting, Stockholm, September, 2007.
The author has no proprietary interest in any of the materials and equipments presented in this study.