The frequency of pseudoexfoliation syndrome in the middle Black Sea region of Turkey.
OBJECTIVE
To assess the frequency of pseudoexfoliation syndrome (PEX) and evaluate its association with specific ocular diseases in patients attending the Department of Ophthalmology at Gaziosmanpasa University Hospital.


METHODS
A prospective study was conducted at the Gaziosmanpasa University Hospital between December 2007 and December 2008. A total of 831 subjects aged 45 or above attending the general ophthalmic clinics were recruited for this study. Each patient underwent complete ophthalmic assessment, including ocular history, visual acuity testing, slit-lamp examination, applanation tonometry, gonioscopy, and fundus examination.


RESULTS
Of the 831 subjects, 12.2% had PEX. Pseudoexfoliation was bilateral in 74.2% of cases, significantly associated with cataract, glaucoma, age-related macular degeneration (AMD), and phacodenesis. Of the patients with PEX, 43.6% had cataract, 6.9% had glaucoma, 7.9% had AMD, and 0.9% had phacodenesis. In addition, 9.8% had cataract + glaucoma, 13.7% had cataract + phacodenesis, and 17.8% had all of them. The prevalence of PEX had a tendency to increase with age but had no sex predilection.


CONCLUSIONS
The study findings enhance our knowledge of PEX in Anatolia, particularly in the Middle Black Sea region.
Cumurcu
Tongabay
T
Department of Ophthalmology, Inonu University School of Medicine, Malatya, Turkey. tongabay@superonline.com
Kilic
Rasit
R
Yologlu
Saim
S
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D059038:Black Sea; D002386:Cataract / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D017889:Exfoliation Syndrome / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D007839:Functional Laterality; D005902:Glaucoma, Open-Angle / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006068:Gonioscopy; D006801:Humans; D007429:Intraocular Pressure; D007905:Lens Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D008268:Macular Degeneration / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D011446:Prospective Studies; D014065:Tonometry, Ocular; D014421:Turkey / Q000453:epidemiology; D058609:Visual Field Tests