| Research Abstract |
Objectives : To clear the prevalence of Ocular diseases, especially of Glaucoma in Kumejima, Okinawa.
Study design and study periods : Study period was from May, 2005 through Sep, 2006. Participant rate was very high of 81.2% and attending residents received screening examination and definitive examination including visual field testing. Also, detailed ocular biometry was applied for the attended residents.
Results : 1^<st>, Pterygium, popular eye disease in Okinawa, was high of 31% prevalence, one of the highest in the World, was reported (Ref 1). 2^<nd>, Prevalence of occludable angle, pre-stage of angle closure glaucoma, being nearly 20% in 10% randomly sampled population by UBM was demonstrated (Ref 2). 3^<rd>, Severe visual loss (blind) was seen in patients with retinitis pigmentosa and glaucoma (Ref 3). However, the number of blindness or low vision was almost equally compatible to that of developed countries, showing available high and qualified medical services even in such isolated island, in Japan. Corneal endothelial cell density, 1^<st> time by epidemiological survey, was reported in Kumejima (Ref 4).
Conclusion : This Epidemiological Survey in Kumejima reported the prevalence of important eye diseases, especially of Glaucoma and causes of low vision or blindness (Ref 7,8). Angle closure glaucoma, treatable and curable glaucoma, was very high prevalence in Kumejima, compared with that of Tajimi Study, and we need to explore the Okinawa residents more aggressively this result by means of open lecture and/or public news letters (12,13).
|
