2013, Volume 6, Issue 2, pp 226 – 229

The importance of alcohol abuse and smoking in the evolution of glaucoma disease

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Authors and Affiliations

Correspondence to: Chiotoroiu Silvia Mariana, MD, PhD Department of Ophthalmology, “Nicolae Malaxa" Clinical Hospital, 12 Vergului Street, District 2, Code: 02441, Bucharest, Romania Phone/fax: +40 21 255 5405, E-mail: chiotoroiu@yahoo.com

Abstract

Background:Diagnosing glaucoma by clinical and paraclinical selection, monitoring the patients who present glaucoma, smoke and consume high quantities of alcohol. We wish to demonstrate the influence of smoking and alcohol consumption on the progression of glaucoma.

Material and Method: The paper represents a clinical prospective observational and interventional study within a period of 11 months (September 2011- August 2012), which includes 214 patients diagnosed with glaucoma, by clinical and paraclinical examination, and, who were administrated prostaglandin analogues. The group was divided into 4 homogeneous subgroups according to age, without ocular and systemic associated pathology: Group A- patients diagnosed with glaucoma who do not smoke or drink alcohol (witness group). Group B- patients diagnosed with glaucoma who smoke but do not drink alcohol. Group C- patients diagnosed with glaucoma who drink alcohol but do not smoke. Group D- patients diagnosed with glaucoma who smoke and drink alcohol.

The patients in the 4 groups were supervised by monthly periodical examinations in the first 3 months, then at 3 months by clinical examination (anterior pole examination, eye background) and paraclinical examination (gonioscopy, aplanotonometry Goldman, pachymetry, retinography, computerized perimetry, optical coherence tomography – OCT).

Results:Tensional variations in all the 4 groups under treatment were between (+2;-2mmHg). Retinography failed to point out significant changes from the enrolment to the moment of the paper presentation. The visual field has registered important changes in groups B and D and has not registered significant changes in groups A and C. OCT changes were registered particularly in group D.

Conclusions:The progression of the glaucoma disease is more influenced by smoking than by alcohol consumption. The association between smoking and alcohol consumption certainly represents an agent of major risk in the progression of glaucoma.

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About this article

PMC ID: 3725453
PubMed ID: 23904887
DOI: 

Article Publishing Date (print): 15-06-2013
Available Online: 25-06-2013

Journal information

ISSN Printing: 1844-122X
ISSN Online: 1844-3117
Journal Title: Journal of Medicine and Life

Copyright License: Open Access

This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use and redistribution provided that the original author and source are credited.


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