Large discs with large cups: a diagnostic challenge in African patients

Simple item page
dc.contributor.authorSoma, Darshana
dc.date.accessioned2010-04-16T09:00:47Z
dc.date.available2010-04-16T09:00:47Z
dc.date.issued2010-04-16T09:00:47Z
dc.descriptionMMed, Ophthalmology,Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, 2009en_US
dc.description.abstractObjectives To determine in a cohort of 69 African patients with large optic discs and large optic cups, that proportion of patients with physiologic cupping (normal eyes) misdiagnosed as glaucomatous. To evaluate the possible relationship between optic disc size and central corneal thickness. Design and method A case series of 69 patients with large discs (vertical disc height measuring 1.8mm) and large cups (vertical cup to disc ratio 0.6) was evaluated to determine what proportion had glaucoma and what proportion was normal. Patients categorized as normal were further evaluated to determine what proportion were previously misdiagnosed and treated for glaucoma. Patients with a suspected diagnosis of glaucoma, normal tension glaucoma or primary open angle glaucoma were recruited from the glaucoma clinic at St John Eye Hospital. Outcome measures included corrected vertical disc height (VDH), vertical cup to disc ratio (CDR), central corneal thickness (CCT), the relationship between VDH and vertical cup height, the relationship between VDH and CCT, adjusted intraocular pressure (A-IOP), retinal nerve fiber layer analysis and visual fields. vii Results Sixty-nine African patients (138 eyes) with large discs and large cups were evaluated. 41 (59%) were females and 28 (41%) were males. The mean age was 56 years. Of the 69 patients, 51 (74%) had physiologic cupping (normal eyes) and 18 (26%) patients were glaucomatous. Of the group of 51 patients with physiologic cupping, there were 9 patients who were previously misdiagnosed with glaucoma and who had received treatment. VDH ranged between 1.9 and 3.2mm (mean ±SD, 2.3±0.26mm). The distribution analysis of VDH measurements noted the largest cluster around 2.3mm. CCT ranged between 454μm and 618μm (mean±SD, 516±37μm). 107 (77.5%) of the 138 eyes had CCT < 544μm. Conclusion Large cup to disc ratio in relation to large disc size can be normal. It can be misdiagnosed as glaucomatous if objective retinal nerve fiber layer analysis is not carried out. In this study, 9 (18%) patients from a group of 51 patients with physiologic cupping were misdiagnosed as glaucomatous. There was no linear correlation between CCT and VDH in this study. Pearson’s correlation coefficient was 0.13. The majority (77.5%) of eyes had thin corneas (CCT < 544μm).en_US
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/10539/8001
dc.language.isoenen_US
dc.subjectoptic discsen_US
dc.subjectoptic cupsen_US
dc.subjectoptic disc sizeen_US
dc.subjectglaucomaen_US
dc.titleLarge discs with large cups: a diagnostic challenge in African patientsen_US
dc.typeThesisen_US
Files
Original bundle
Now showing 1 - 2 of 2
No Thumbnail Available
Name:
Microsoft Word - oct-part2.pdf
Size:
3.18 MB
Format:
Adobe Portable Document Format
Download
No Thumbnail Available
Name:
Microsoft Word - oct-part1.pdf
Size:
45.84 KB
Format:
Adobe Portable Document Format
Download
License bundle
Now showing 1 - 1 of 1
No Thumbnail Available
Name:
license.txt
Size:
1.79 KB
Format:
Item-specific license agreed upon to submission
Description:
Download
Collections
ETD Collection