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Purpose: To measure the central corneal thickness (CCT) in Senegalese melanoderms with primary open angle glaucoma (POAG) and to determine its effect on visual impairment, intraocular pressure, optic nerve and perimetric damage., Patients and Methods: We studied retrospectively the records of patients followed for POAG between May and July 2012. We recorded CCT measured by ultrasonic pachymetry and results of the first clinical examinations, including best-corrected visual acuity (CVA), intraocular pressure (IOP) by Goldmann tonometry, cup-to-disc ratio (C/D), and visual fields by automated perimetry according to the classification of Hodapp., Results: Two hundred and thirty-four eyes of 117 patients were enrolled. Mean age was 56.53 ± 11.29 years and gender ratio was 2.77. Mean CCT was 525.40 ± 39.63 μm for all eyes, right and left (P=0.734). Women had a mean CCT of 521.20 ± 36.20 μm and men 526.91 ± 40.79 μm (P=0.332). Corneas were thinner in patients over 50 years (P=0.0047), in eyes having a CVA<3/10 (P=0.01) or a C/D ≥ 0.8 (P=0.043). CCT had no correlation with frequency of ocular hypertension (P=0.16) or advanced visual field defect (P=0.33)., Conclusion: CCT of glaucomatous Senegalese is independent of laterality and sex, but decreased with age. A thin cornea is a risk for visual loss and optic cup enlargement, thus the importance of systematic measurement of CCT., (Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.)

Introduction: Our purpose was to evaluate the changes in the visual field (VF) after trabeculectomy and to indentify factors influencing variation for a better follow-up of patients with primitive open-angle glaucoma (POAG)., Material and Methods: We conducted a prospective study at the A. Le Dantec Hospital in Dakar, Senegal. Seventeen eyes of POAG patients were studied. The parameters noted for each patient were age, sex, affected eye, pre- and postoperative intra-ocular pressure (IOP), cup disk, sensitivity thresholds on pre- and postoperative perimetry, severity of glaucoma, and medication taken by the patient. Each patient had a frequency doubling technology (FDT) visual field examination before and the after surgery. None of them had an associated pathology that could cause VF troubles. The postoperative visual field was noted. All these parameters were correlated using the chi square test in order to determine factors influencing a threshold variation., Results: Our patients were new in 70.6% of cases, and the mean age was 45 years. The mean preoperative IOP was 25.7mmHg, 29.4% of the eyes had a cup disk up to 0.7. The VF showed severe glaucoma in 58.8%; 70.6% of eyes had only beta-blocker treatment. Peritomy with limbic hinge was performed in 88.2% of trabeculectomies. No surgical complication was noted. After trabeculectomy, the mean IOP was 14mmHg with a mean decrease of 42.8%. Before surgery, 94.1% of eyes had lower temporal quadrant involvement. For 94.1% of eyes, central vision was preserved. After surgery, progression was better in 18%, stable in 41%, and worse in 41% of cases. Of the factors studied, only age and graded follow-up time from surgery had a statistically significant influence on VF after trabeculectomy., Conclusion: Trabeculectomy was necessary in treatment of POAG, because of poor observance of medical treatment and severity of lesions at the time of diagnosis. The results (59% improvement or stability), in spite of the small sample size, argue in favor of this surgical treatment for some patients with POAG in our country.

Introduction: Compliance to medical treatment expresses the patient's perception of the disease and the treatment prescribed by the doctors. Lack of compliance endangers chronic glaucoma care, which explains the importance it has been given these last years. The objectives of this survey were to evaluate the compliance of adult patients suffering from primary open angle glaucoma to discover the influential factors., Materials and Methods: We conducted a survey at the ophthalmology clinic of Le Dantec Hospital from January 1997 to May 1998 among 31 adults being treated for primary open angle glaucoma. An indirect evaluation of the patients' compliance was made on the basis of a questionnaire after examination of their medical files. It was deemed good, average, or bad depending on: regularity of the patient's visits to the doctors, regularity of the treatment, respect of the doctor's prescription and the prescribed times for taking the medicine. The Chi square independence test was used to study the influence of the following factors: age, sex, residence, socioeconomic status, duration of symptom progression, level of instruction, counseling, and treatment., Results: The patients' mean age was 60.5 years. Compliance was deemed good for 29% of the total cases, average for 32.3%, and bad for 38.7%. Only factors such as the regular visits to the doctor, the regularity of the treatment, and respect of the doctor's prescription and the prescribed times for taking the medicine were found to be influential (p<0.05)., Conclusion: The medical treatment of primary open angle glaucoma, whether temporary or permanent, with a maximum of efficacy and a minimum of side-effects requires good compliance on the part of the patient. This compliance in turn requires a good doctor-patient relationship based on effective repeated counseling to educate patients, help them understand the disease, and act on the influential factors.