Models of open-angle glaucoma prevalence and incidence in the United States.
OBJECTIVE
To estimate the prevalence and incidence of open-angle glaucoma among black and white persons in the United States and to characterize quantitatively their life experience with glaucoma using a life table approach to estimate disease duration.


METHODS
Review of published data on glaucoma combined with statistical models to estimate prevalence and incidence.


RESULTS
The association of open-angle glaucoma with age was examined separately for white and black persons. By the year 2000, the number of persons in the United States with primary open-angle glaucoma is estimated to be 2.47 million (1.84 million white and 619,000 black Americans). A model using derived incidence rates for open-angle glaucoma (OAG) and United States mortality data indicated that the average black American has OAG 27% longer than the average white American (16.3 years compared to 12.8 years).


CONCLUSIONS
Meta-analysis to obtain pooled prevalence estimates for glaucoma provides useful information on length of disease and age distribution of those affected. It may assist in estimating treatment effects and associated costs to derive data that effect health care decisions.
Quigley
H A
HA
Dana Center for Preventive Opthalmology, Wilmer Institute, Johns Hopkins University school of Medicine, Bal;timore, Maryland 21287, USA.
Vitale
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D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D044383:Black People; D005902:Glaucoma, Open-Angle / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D015993:Life Tables; D015201:Meta-Analysis as Topic; D008875:Middle Aged; D015233:Models, Statistical; D015995:Prevalence; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D044465:White People; D001741:Black or African American