Bhandari R D and Khanal B
Geta Eye Hospital, Nepal
Scientific Tracks Abstracts: J Eye Cataract Surg
Background: Family history plays an important role in the management of patients with glaucoma. First degree relatives of the patients with glaucoma have a risk than for people with no family history of glaucoma. Most of the relatives are unaware of their risk, sometimes even decades after treatment is initiated in their family. Patients with primary glaucoma should be advised to alert relatives to the need for adequate glaucoma screening and follow-up. Considering the difficulty in detecting the disease in its early stage and the likelihood of irreversible loss of retinal nerve fibers at the time of diagnosis, most of the time, glaucoma is an important public health problem. Objective: To determine the prevalence of glaucoma in first degree relatives of primary open angle glaucoma (POAG) and primary angle closure glaucoma (PACG) patients during routine eye examination in the hospital. Methods: In this prospective observational hospital-based study, we determine the prevalence of glaucoma in first degree relatives of the patient diagnosed as glaucoma, attending the outpatient department at Ramlal Golchha Eye Hospital from June 2016 - May 2017. Results: We invited 227 individuals, first degree relatives of 72 persons diagnosed as POAG/PACG, out of which 143 attended our hospital screening for glaucoma. Sixty one percent of the attendees were males and thirty-nine were females. A total of 23 persons were identified as having glaucoma of which 9 persons were aged more than 60 years, 7 persons were aged 40-60 years, 4 of them were aged 20-40 years, 3 were aged 10-21 years. Conclusion: Prevalence of glaucoma in first degree relatives is higher than rest of the general population. Screening of glaucoma in first degree helps in earlier detection and treatment of glaucoma. Awareness of screening in first degree relatives may also play a major role in early detection of glaucoma. It also reduces needless blindness due to glaucoma.
After completing Masters of Ravi Bandari from Lumbini Eye Institute, Lumbini, he worked at Geta Eye Hospital, Kailali, Nepal as a General Ophthalmologist. After finishing fellowship in Glaucoma and Cararact (Phacoemulsification) from Aravind Eye Hospital joined Ramlal Golchha Eye Hospital, Biratnagar, Nepal as a Medical Director. After finishing term at Ramlal Golchha Eye Hospital returned to Geta Eye Hospital as a Glaucoma and cataract consultant. Reviewed articles for International Journal of Ophthalmology since last four years. Member of editorial board of Journal of Ocular Siences and Ophthalmology. Published research in domestic and foreign journals as well presented them in national and international conferences. Invited as a chair of the session at World Ophthalmology Congress 2018, Barcelona, Spain. Clinical fields of interest include glaucoma; cataract; oculoplasty; lacrimal drainage system; neurophthalmology; ocular oncology.
E-mail: drravi_np@hotmail.com
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