Focusing on patients at high-risk for glaucoma in Brazil: a pilot study

To assess the results of a pilot study for screening high-risk individuals for glaucoma in Brazil.

Using cross-sectional methodology, the study population consisted of first-degree relatives of known glaucoma patients. Risk factors were assessed through a questionnaire, and each subject received a complete eye examination.

Sixty individuals were identified and examined. The most relevant risk factors for glaucoma were: age older than 40 years (86.7%), systemic hypertension (46.7%), and self-identification as non-white (35%). Final diagnoses were normal (63.3%), glaucoma (23.3%), ocular hypertension (11.7%), and angle-closure without glaucoma (1.7%). Clinical features that were significant as an indicator of glaucoma presence were non-white participants (OR=6.7, p=0.004), central corneal thickness < 520 microm (OR=6.286, p=0.007), and cup-to-disc ratio >or= 0.6 (OR=3.00, p=0.07).

Despite our study's small sample size, this high prevalence of glaucoma (23.3%) highlights the importance of identifying for screening at-risk, first-degree relatives of glaucoma patients. Pachymetry was an important diagnostic tool for glaucoma within this population.