Vitovska O. P.¹, Alifanova T. A.², Poveshcenko Yu. L.³

¹Bogomolets National Medical University, Kyiv, Ukraine
²GI “Ukrainian State Institute of Medical and Social Problems of Disability of Ministry of Health of Ukraine”, Dnipropetrovsk, Ukraine
³Dnipropetrovsk City Clinical Hospital no. 8 of Dnipropetrovsk Regional Council, Dnipropetrovsk, Ukraine

 Abstract

Background. Glaucoma is one of the priority problems of modern world health care community. Its medical and social significance is estimated by the widespread rising of prevalence of the disease, the high risk of disability and blindness, serious financial losses.

Purpose. The aim of our study was the analysis of prevalence, dynamic and trends of disability caused by glaucoma in Ukraine.

 Materials and methods. We analyzed the statistical data of 40 years period from annual reports of disability expert commissions from all Ukraine regions and annual information reference books of disability in Ukraine.

 Results. We estimated the increment of blindness and number of visually impaired by glaucoma in 3 and 5 times correspondingly in primary disabled patients in the studied period of time. It was revealed a trend of “rejuvenation” of primary disabled by glaucoma: specific weight of persons with employable age was 66 % in the cohort blind and visually impaired. The main cause of vision loss was primary open-angle glaucoma (72 %). The retrospective analysis of medical care of disabled due to glaucoma established the low surgical activity (27 %) in the group of patients with good prognosis of medical and social rehabilitation (3rd disability group).

 Keywords: disability, glaucoma, epidemiology, prevalence, dynamics, tendency, blindness. 

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Received: 6 June 2016

Published: July 2016