Glaucoma prevalence and treatment in sub-Saharan Africa's elderly population: a scoping review

Glaucoma is one of the leading causes of visual impairment and blindness globally, mainly affecting older adults. Disproportionately affecting people of African descent, its high prevalence, combined with the region's limited healthcare infrastructure and access to eye care services, make it a major public health challenge deserving attention in sub-Saharan Africa.

This paper aims to synthesise current literature on glaucoma prevalence and management options among older adults in sub-Saharan Africa.

A systematic search was conducted using databases including PubMed, Scopus, Medline, and Google Scholar. Following inclusion criteria and study objectives, five published articles from 2013 to 2022 were included in this scoping review.

We found that, generally, across various studies reviewed, the prevalence of glaucoma among adults aged 60 and above was high. Glaucoma prevalence increases with age. Current management options were pharmacotherapy, surgery and laser, with pharmacotherapy most often the first line. Although initially cheaper, the other options are practical and cost-effective over time.

This scoping review adds to evidence that with the growing population, glaucoma continues to be a public health issue since glaucoma has a high prevalence among older adults, particularly in SSA. With most of the sub-Saharan population's high prevalence and low-income levels, ideal management must include early screening and detection and reliable and long-term treatment options that are not particularly dependent on patient compliance and adherence. Evidence-based policies are needed to reduce the prevalence of glaucoma-related visual impairment for older adults across sub-Saharan Africa.