PRIMARY OPEN-ANGLE GLAUCOMA AND HYPOTHYROIDISM - CHANCE OR TRUE ASSOCIATION

The prevalence of hypothyroidism in British patients with primary open angle glaucoma (POAG) was examined. A recently reported study from Mo ntreal had shown a significant increase (p<0.004) in biochemical hypot hyroidism (23.4%) in a population of 64 POAG patients compared with co ntrols (4.7%), Mechanisms for a possible causal association between th e two diseases are discussed, including mucopolysaccharide deposition in the trabecular meshwork and vasculopathy altering ocular bloodflow, Reports of improved glaucoma control following treatment of hypothyro idism are discussed, This study examined 100 consecutive patients,vith POAG in a specialist glaucoma clinic. All patients were questioned re garding symptoms of thyroid dysfunction and previous thyroid disease, All patients not already taking thyroxine underwent an assay of thyroi d stimulating hormone, The 4% (95% CI 1.1-9.4%) prevalence of overt hy pothyroidism in our study shows no clinically significant increase eit her over controls in the Montreal study or over our local population, We conclude that in our local population there is no evidence for a cl inically important association of hypothyroidism with glaucoma.