Trabeculectomy:the first option in the management of African patients with primary open angle glacoma

Abstract

African eye patients with primary open angle glaucoma; at Muhimbili Medical Centre between November, 1992 and October, 1993. The main objective was to study the effectiveness of trabeculectomy as the first option in the management of primary open angle glaucoma in African patients. The study revealed the prevalence of primary open angle glaucoma at the time of study in Muhimbili Medical Centre to be 16%. Trabeculectomy was done in 52% of patients studied with a success rate of 84% with minimal postopeative complications. It was found out in this study that trabeculectomy significantly lowered the intraocular pressure (P «0.001) and hence reducing the progression of visual field and visual acuity loss. In conclusion, results obtained and analysed in this study confirm that there is a high prevalence of primary open angle glaucoma among African patients attending the Muhimbili Medical Centre Eye Clinic, primary open angle glaucoma is one of the common cause of blindness in Tanzania African patients,

most patients are not aware of the onset of the disease until late when other eye imparements are manifested, trabeculectomy proved to be an effective treatment in lowering intraocular pressure and hence preventing further damage to the eye and consequently preserving visual field and vision; so proving the objective of the study.