INCIDENCE OF PSEUDOEXFOLIATION SYN SYNDROME IN A GROUP OF PATIENTS AFECTED WITH CATARACT IN THE

NORTH OF ETHIOPIA (TIGRAY)

A. Sabala, J. de la Camara, J. Loscos and M. Jornet

Spain

Introduction
In Mekele, north of Ethiopia, with Proyecto Visión (a Spanish NGO),we have been operating patients with cataract since 1993.
In our experience we have noticed a high incidence of Pseudoexfoliative Sindrome (PXF) bettween tthe patients we are operating on. The absence of previous epidemiological data of this sindrome in Ethiopia and hardly any in Africa, has encouraged us to evaluate the incidence of such sindrome.

Methods
452 patients were seen on their pre-op visit for cataract surgery. >From them, patients with PXF were selected and their age, sex, intraocular pressure (IOP), and degree of pseudoexfoliation were taken. The incidence of surgical complications on ether cataract surgery or trabeculectomy was also analiced.

Results
From 452 patients we have found 90 with PXF; that is a incidence of 19.9%. From them 21 had IOP higher than 24mmHg; that is  a 4.58% from the total of patients and  a 23.3% from the patients afected with PXF.

Conclusion
We have noticed a higher than normal incidence of PXF Sindrome and secondary glaucoma in patients afected with cataract in Tigray, Ethiopia.