Glaucoma of institutionalized geriatric patients

362 glaucomatous eyes of 213 institutionalized geriatric patients 66-100 year of age (83.9 +/- 6.9 year) were studied. Of the eyes with open angle glaucoma (77%, 279/362) 51% had capsular glaucoma (CG). Of the secondary glaucomas (9%) half were neovascular glaucomas. The visual acuity (VA) of 13 patients could not be determined. More than half of the patients (114/200) were visually handicapped (VA in the better eye less than 0.3). 55 out of 114 patients were considered blind (VA less than 0.05 in the better eye). In the glaucomatous eyes the mean VA was 0.17, binocular VA for near was 0.28. 28 out of 110 eyes had Bjerrum scotoma, 21 eyes had complete arcuate scotoma and 41 eyes had a residual field in the temporal periphery. In the present study, the causes of blindness were distributed as follows: glaucoma was the only cause in 25%; cataract was one of the causes in 66% and macular degeneration in 24%. Because glaucoma is a major cause of visual impairment in the elderly population, and it is frequently discovered by chance, attention should be paid to this condition in persons over 65 years of age.