Open-angle glaucoma associated with Graves disease

Abstract

Purpose: To estimate the prevalence of open-angle glaucoma, including normal-tension glaucoma, in association with Graves disease.

Methods: In a prospective study, a complete ophthalmic examination including applanation tonometry, exophthalmometry, automated static threshold perimetry, and computed tomography of the orbit was performed in 104 consecutive Japanese patients with Graves disease (age range, 11 to 86 years; mean, 42 years; 80 women, 24 men). Ocular hypertension was defined as an intraocular pressure greater than 21 mm Hg on at least two occasions during the period of follow-up.

Results: Of the 104 patients, 14 (13%) exhibited typical glaucomatous visual field defects in automatic static threshold perimetry in the absence of compressive optic neuropathy. The intraocular pressure in seven of the 14 patients was consistently less than 21 mm Hg during the follow-up period. Thus, these patients were diagnosed as having normal-tension glaucoma. Of the 104 patients, 23 (22%) were diagnosed as having ocular hypertension.

Conclusions: The prevalence of normal-tension glaucoma as well as open-angle glaucoma and ocular hypertension was significantly higher among patients with Graves disease than in the general population.