Long-Term Benefit of Reduced Intraocular Pressure in Primary Open-Angle Glaucoma Patients in Ethiopia

Purpose. To determine the incidence of progression of primary open-angle glaucoma at individual levels of mean intraocular pressure (IOP) in patients in Ethiopia. Methods. A retrospective, multicenter, cohort analysis of patient records with at least 5 years of potential follow-up were evaluated for risk factors associated with progressive optic disc and visual field loss. Results. There were 300 patients with the potential of 5 years of follow-up. In total, 166 patients progressed before 5 years and 134 remained stable for the full 5-year follow-up period. Of the total sample, 84% of patients with IOPs ≤19 (n=117/139), 53% of patients with IOPs of 20 (n=9/17), 14% of patients with IOPs of 21–24 (n=9/63), and 0% of the patients with IOPs of ≥25 mmHg (n=0/79) remained stable over at least 5 years. The mean IOP was 17.4±2.1 in the stable group and 25.0±5.9 mmHg in the progressed group (p