Risk factors and long term progression in open angle glaucoma patients.

Area of Science:

• Ophthalmology
• Glaucoma Research
• Clinical Optometry

Background:

• Primary open angle glaucoma (POAG) is a leading cause of irreversible blindness worldwide.
• Understanding perimetric progression rates and associated risk factors is crucial for effective clinical management.
• Previous studies have identified several risk factors, but real-world clinical practice data is essential.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the rate of visual field progression in patients with POAG in a clinical setting.
• To identify demographic, clinical, and systemic factors associated with glaucoma progression.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective chart review of 121 patients with POAG followed for over 5 years.
• Analysis included visual acuity, central corneal thickness (CCT), intraocular pressure (IOP), IOP variation, and number of medications.
• Visual field progression rate was calculated using Glaucoma Progression Analysis software based on mean deviation (MD) over time.

Main Results:

• The mean follow-up period was 68.81 months, with a mean progression rate of -0.21 dB/year.
• Baseline MD, baseline IOP, number of topical medications, and CCT explained 71.7% of the MD slope variance.
• Hypertension was identified as a systemic risk factor for increased glaucoma progression after adjusting for age and sex.

Conclusions:

• Visual field progression in POAG is significantly correlated with baseline MD, baseline IOP, number of topical medications, and thinner CCT.
• These factors are critical for predicting disease progression in clinical practice.
• Early identification and management of these risk factors may help slow vision loss in POAG patients.