[The prevalence of pseudoexfoliation syndrome in patients admitited for cataract surgery to the department of ophthalmology, Sibenik General Hospital]

Abstract

Aim: To evaluate the prevalence of pseudoexfoliation syndrome (PEX) in patients admitted for cataract surgery to the Department of Ophthalmology, Sibenik General Hospital, Croatia.

Methods: A total of 150 patients (299 eyes) were examined in this prospective study. All patients underwent complete ophthalmologic evaluation: history, visual acuity, refraction, slit lamp examination of the lens and fundus with respect to age, sex, presence of PEX (unilateral or bilateral), intraocular pressure (IOP), maturity of the cataract (immature, mature, hypermature), color of the iris, and diameter of the dilated pupil.

Results: The prevalence of PEX was 26% (39 of 150 patients). PEX was unilateral in 9% (14/150) and bilateral in 17% (25/150) of patients. The study included 74 (49%) females and 76 (51%) males. There was no significant sex difference in the prevalence of PEX (p=0.264). The mean age of those with bilateral PEX (74.3 +/- 6.3 years) was significantly higher than that of those with unilateral PEX (71 +/- 6 years) or without PEX (63.9 +/- 9.4 years) (ANOVA p = 0.036). The mean IOP in the eyes with PEX (18.1 +/- 3.9 mm Hg) was significantly higher than in those without PEX (15.4 +/- 2.5 mm Hg) (p < 0.0001). The mean diameter of dilated pupil in the eyes without PEX (8.2 +/- 0.56 mm) was significantly higher than that in those with PEX (6.5 +/- 0.9 mm) (p < 0.0001). There was no significant relationship between the color of the iris and frequency of PEX (p = 0.472).

Conclusions: PEX was found to be a relatively common condition in our patients (26%) undergoing cataract surgery. The mean age of patients with PEX was significantly higher than the mean age of patients without PEX. Cataract surgery is associated with more complications in the eyes with PEX because of insufficient mydriasis, weakened zonular attachment, and instability of lens, and higher IOP. It is important to perform applanation tonometry and to follow up every patient with PEX to enable early detection of increased IOP.