IS GLAUCOMA ASSOCIATED WITH AN INCREASED RISK OF CATARACT

Aims-The risk of developing cataract in patients with untreated glauco ma or with ocular hypertension was evaluated by comparing the values o f lenticular autofluorescence and light transmission in 16 patients wi th primary open angle glaucoma and 22 patients with ocular hypertensio n with those of 24 healthy controls. Methods-Increase of lenticular au tofluorescence and decrease of transmission values in comparison with controls were considered to be precursors of cataract. The values of b oth variables were determined by fluorophotometry. Each value was norm alised for age by dividing it by the value for a healthy control of th e same age. Results-The mean age normalised autofluorescence and trans mission values of all patients did not differ significantly from those of the controls (difference <5%; p=0.6 and p=0.2, respectively). Also the mean age normalised autofluorescence and transmission values betw een glaucoma and ocular hypertension patients did not differ significa ntly (p=0.8 and p=0.9, respectively). Conclusion-The study indicates t hat untreated primary open angle glaucoma or untreated ocular hyperten sion do not seem to increase significantly the risk of developing cata ract.