Awareness of glaucoma among non-medical students in South India

Background: Glaucoma is one of the leading causes of blindness in the world. According to World health organization glaucoma is the second leading cause of blindness worldwide. The objective was to study the level of awareness about glaucoma among students (non-medical).Methods: A questionnaire based study was conducted among 430 students (non-medical) which tests the basic knowledge about glaucoma.Results: Out of 430 students 94.18% (405/430) did not know what glaucoma was. 3.95% (17/430) have heard about glaucoma and they knew that it was a disease of the eye. Only 8 students 1.86% (8/430) were aware of the fact that glaucoma can lead to blindness.Conclusions: The level of awareness of glaucoma is very low among students (non-medical). Efforts should be made to increase the awareness among them so that not only they will subject themselves for screening but also persuade their family members, friends and relatives for the same

Perception of refractive surgery among undergraduate medical students and their preferred method of refractive correction

Background: Refractive errors are a major cause of defective visual acuity in all age groups. Spectacles are the traditional and most widely used method of optical correction among all age groups. The main objective was to study the perception about refractive surgery among undergraduate medical students with refractive errors and their preferred method of refractive correction.Methods: A questionnaire based study was conducted among 227 undergraduate medical students with refractive errors.Results: Among 227 students, the prevalence of myopia was 89.42% and hypermetropia was 10.13%.There was one case of keratoconus (0.44%). None of them had undergone refractive surgery. 84.14 % were using only spectacles for correction of refractive error. 13.21% were using contact lenses. 0.88% was using both. Among spectacle users, 71.35% were satisfied with the use of spectacles, the reasons being ease of use and maintenance. 35.41% were not satisfied with spectacles and the main reason was dependency. Among the spectacle users, 23.56% wanted to switch over to contact lenses and the main reason was cosmetic. 92.51% were aware of refractive surgery, out of which 36.66% were willing to undergo refractive surgery. 65.92% were not willing to undergo refractive surgery, the main reason being risk of complications.Conclusions: The preference and willingness to undergo refractive surgery was less due to the fear of complications and the cost of the procedure. Spectacles remain the most preferred method the main reason being ease of use and it is maintenance free. Contact lenses are the next preferred method and the main reason was cosmetic.

A study of awareness of ocular complications of diabetes among students

Background: Diabetes mellitus has become a major public health problem throughout the world. The aim was to study the awareness of ocular complications due to diabetes mellitus among students.Methods: A questionnaire based study was conducted among 430 students (non-medical). The questions tested their awareness about diabetes mellitus and also about the potential ocular complications of the disease.Results: Out of 430 students 73.02% (314/430) have heard about diabetes mellitus but they did not know that it can affect the eye and can lead to blindness. They were unaware that regular eye check-up is important in diabetes mellitus. 18.83% (81/430) were aware about the disease and its potential to cause vision threatening complications. 8.13% (35/430) were not aware about diabetes mellitus. Overall only 18.83% had some basic knowledge about diabetes and its complications.Conclusions: The level of awareness about ocular complications due to diabetes mellitus is low among students. Therefore steps should be taken to increase the awareness about diabetes and inculcate some basic knowledge about its potential complications especially vision threatening diabetic retinopathy. It should be strongly emphasized that periodic eye check-up is important to prevent needless blindness and visual dysfunction. Keywords: Glaucoma, Non-medical students, Awarenes

Correlation between perimetric indices and retinal nerve fibre layer thickness by OCT and GDX VCC in primary open angle glaucoma.

INTRODUCTION: Glaucoma is defined as a disturbance of the structural and functional integrity of the optic nerve that can usually be arrested or diminished by adequate lowering of the intraocular pressure. It is among the leading causes of blindness in the developing world and a major health problem in the developed world. World Health Organization Statistics, published in 1995 indicates that glaucoma accounts for blindness in 5.1 million persons or 13.5% of global blindness. AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the correlation between the Retinal nerve fibre layer parameters(RNFL) analysed by OCT and GDx VCC and the global perimetric indices obtained with octopus perimetry. To establish whether structural parameters provided by optical coherence tomography (OCT ) and GDx VCC can be used to reflect functional damage in the visual field. To evaluate the relationship between the RNFL parameters measured using OCT and GDx VCC. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This was a cross sectional study, prospectively planned. 67 eyes of 34 glaucoma patients attending glaucoma clinic were included in this study. The study was carried out in Glaucoma clinic, Regional Institute of Ophthalmology and Government Eye Hospital, Chennai between March 2005 and July 2006. DISCUSSION: This study was designed with the major objective to evaluate the relationship between perimetric indices and structural changes brought out by optical coherence tomography and GDX VCC RNFL parameters and to compare the results obtained by these two methods for quantitatively assessing the RNFL(OCT and GDX VCC). CONCLUSION: Outcomes of the study: In established glaucoma patients a significant correlation exists between the global perimetric indices and the RNFL thickness . The RNFL thicknesses measured by two different investigatory modalities OCT and GDx are well correlated. Among the GDx parameters, the NFI was found to be a better indicator of visual field damage than the average thickness. In conclusion, though visual field testing is subjective, at present it cannot be replaced by imaging modalities. The newer instruments are valuable tools that have become available to provide quantitative reproducible and objective measurements of RNFL thickness. Thus, structural information provided by the OCT and GDx and functional information provided by the field analysis are both important and complementary to each other

A study of awareness and knowledge about cataract among students

Background: Cataract can cause visual dysfunction ranging from mild to severe loss of vision. The rate of development of senile cataract is generally slow and the vision loss is usually gradual but can result in blindness if treatment is delayed. The main objective was to study the awareness about cataract among students (non-medical).Methods: A questionnaire based study was conducted among 430 students (non-medical). The questions tested their awareness about cataract and also about the potential ocular complications of the disease and the treatments available currently.Results: 65.81% (283/430) have heard about cataract. 50 students out of 283 students were aware about the basic facts about cataract. The rest 233 students have just heard of the term cataract. Overall only 11.62% (50/430) were aware about the basic facts about cataract. 34.10% (147/430) was not aware about cataract.Conclusions: The awareness of one of the leading cause of treatable blindness like cataract is low among students. Steps should be taken to increase the awareness about cataract and also about the various treatment options available for cataract. More focus should be on cataract in health education programmes

Relationship between the Retinal Nerve Fibre Layer (RNFL) parameters and Visual field loss in established glaucoma patients in South Indian population

Purpose: Optical coherence tomography (OCT) and Scanning LASER polarimetry (GDX-VCC) are newer techniques to analyse retinal nerve fibre loss in glaucoma. This study aims to evaluate the relationship between the Retinal Nerve Fibre Layer(RNFL) parameters measured using Stratus-OCT and GDx-VCC and visual field loss by Octopus interzeag perimetry in established glaucoma patients in South Indian Population. Materials and methods: Prospectively planned cross sectional study of 67 eyes of 34 established glaucoma patients on medical management. The mean age of patients was 46.911 years (SD+13.531). A complete ophthalmic examination, automated perimetry with octopus interzeag 1-2-3 perimeter, retinal nerve fibre analysis with GDx VCC and Stratus OCT was done. The differences between the mean RNFL parameters in the presence or absence of field defects were evaluated. Results: The data analysed were mean deviation, loss variance, OCT total average nerve fibre thickness, GDX VCC- TSNIT average and Nerve fibre indicator (NFI).The data were split into two subgroups on the basis of presence or absence of visual field defect and analysed. The difference between the mean value of NFI between the subgroups was highly significant with a p value < 0.01.The OCT parameter Total average nerve fiber layer thickness differed significantly between the two subgroups (p value <0.05). The mean GDx TSNIT average did not differ significantly between the two subgroups. Conclusion: The total average nerve fibre thickness by OCT correlated better with visual field loss than the GDX TSNIT average .Among the GDx parameters, the NFI was found to be a better indicator of visual field damage than the average thickness