The prevalence and types of glaucoma in malay people: the Singapore Malay eye study.
OBJECTIVE
To assess the prevalence and types of glaucoma in an Asian Malay population.


METHODS
The Singapore Malay Eye Study is a population-based, cross-sectional survey that examined 3280 (78.7% response) persons aged 40 to 80 years. Participants underwent a standardized clinical examination including slit-lamp biomicroscopy, Goldmann applanation tonometry, and dilated optic disc assessment. Participants who were suspected to have glaucoma also underwent visual field examination (24-2 SITA standard, Humphrey Visual Field Analyzer II), gonioscopy, and repeat applanation tonometry. Glaucoma was defined according to International Society for Geographical and Epidemiologic Ophthalmology criteria.


RESULTS
Of the 3280 participants, 150 (4.6%) had diagnosed glaucoma, giving an age- and sex-standardized prevalence of 3.4% (95% confidence interval [CI], 3.3%-3.5%). The age- and sex-standardized prevalence of primary open-angle glaucoma was 2.5% (95% CI, 2.4%-2.6%), primary angle-closure glaucoma 0.12% (95% CI, 0.10%-0.14%), and secondary glaucoma 0.61% (95% CI, 0.59%-0.63%). Of the 150 glaucoma cases, only 12 (8%) had a previous known history of glaucoma. Twenty-seven (18%) eyes had low vision (based on best corrected visual acuity logarithm of the minimal angle of resolution [logMAR] >0.30 to <1.00 in the eye with glaucoma for unilateral cases; and based on the better eye for bilateral cases) and 15 (10%) were blind (logMAR, >/=1.00).


CONCLUSIONS
The prevalence of glaucoma among Malay persons 40 years of age and older in Singapore is 3.4%, comparable to ethnic Chinese people in Singapore and other racial/ethnic groups in Asia. As in Chinese, Caucasians, and African people, primary open-angle glaucoma was the main form of glaucoma in this population. More than 90% of glaucoma cases were previously undetected.
Shen
Sunny Y
SY
Singapore National Eye Centre, Singapore.
Wong
Tien Y
TY
Foster
Paul J
PJ
Loo
Jing-Liang
JL
Rosman
Mohamad
M
Loon
Seng-Chee
SC
Wong
Wan Ling
WL
Saw
Seang-Mei
SM
Aung
Tin
T
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D044466:Asian People; D005260:Female; D005901:Glaucoma / Q000145:classification* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015812:Glaucoma, Angle-Closure / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005902:Glaucoma, Open-Angle / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D012744:Sex Ratio; D012846:Singapore / Q000453:epidemiology