Open-angle Glaucoma and Sensorineural Hearing Impairment in the Korean Population

This study identifies the prevalence and risk factors of sensorineural hearing loss and primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG).

Patients aged 19 years or older who had undergone both ophthalmologic examination and audiometry as part of the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey V (2010-2012) were analyzed. Hearing loss was defined as the pure-tone average over 40 decibels based on the automatic hearing test to determine the threshold of airway hearing for each frequency. We investigated the prevalence of glaucoma and hearing loss when they occurred alone or simultaneously. The risk factors for concurrent glaucoma and hearing loss were examined.

Among the participants, 6.6% had hearing loss alone, 2.3% had glaucoma alone, and 0.5% had both glaucoma and hearing loss. The weighted prevalence of glaucoma in patients with hearing loss was 7.5%; however, the weighted prevalence of glaucoma was 3.2% among patients without hearing loss, with a significant difference (P < .001). Multivariable logistic regression analysis revealed that the risk factors associated with concurrent glaucoma and hearing loss were age (3.786 times per 10 years, P < .001) and triglyceride level (1.002 times per 1 mg/dL, P = .028).

Sensorineural hearing loss and POAG are relevant. If hearing impairment and visual impairment occur together, the quality of life of the patient is worsened and the social burden is greater. Therefore, care should be taken when treating elderly patients with glaucoma.