Prevalence of glaucoma in treated multibacillary Hansen disease.

PURPOSE: To determine the prevalence of glaucoma in a population of patients with multibacillary Hansen disease who had completed treatment.

PATIENTS AND METHODS: The authors examined 386 of 446 patients with treated multibacillary Hansen disease residing in a geographically limited area. A complete ophthalmic examination including slit-lamp, applanation tonometry, gonioscopy, ophthalmoscopy, and stereobiomicroscopic examination of the optic disc was performed in all subjects. Glaucoma suspects were invited to the base hospital for further examination including automated perimetry.

RESULTS: The overall prevalence of glaucoma was 3.6% (CI 1.9-5.3); 1.3% had primary open-angle glaucoma, 7% were primary angle-closure suspects (occludable angles), 1.8% had primary angle-closure glaucoma, and 0.5% had secondary glaucoma.

CONCLUSION: The prevalence of primary glaucoma in patients with treated multibacillary Hansen disease was similar to that in the general population, and secondary glaucoma was rare.