Epidemiology and risk factors of glaucoma in a comprehensive health screening baseline report from the Gangnam Eye Cohort Study

We investigated the epidemiology and systemic risk factors of glaucoma in a health screening center-based cohort. The Gangnam Eye Cohort Study included 75,154 participants who completed initial comprehensive health check-up examinations in 2003–2010. In this baseline report, the prevalence of glaucoma was estimated, ocular and systemic factors were compared between glaucoma and normal control groups, and risk factors were analyzed by logistic regression. The prevalence of glaucoma was 2.8%; 3.4% in men and 2.1% in women, and increased with age (P < 0.001). Mean age of the glaucoma group (52.8 ± 10.9 years) was older than that of the normal group (48.1 ± 10.3 years, P < 0.001). Mean intraocular pressure (IOP) of the glaucoma group (14.6 ± 3.1 mmHg) was higher than that of the normal group (13.2 ± 2.5 mmHg, P < 0.001). Older age (P < 0.001), male sex (P < 0.001), presence of retinal arteriosclerosis (P < 0.001), higher IOP (P < 0.001), higher household income (P = 0.045), higher education (P < 0.001), overweight status (P = 0.001), higher serum creatinine (P = 0.013) and uric acid (P = 0.008) were significantly associated with glaucoma. In this largest health screening center-based cohort study, considering the associations of glaucoma with retinal microvascular abnormality, obesity, and serum creatinine and uric acid, a common pathway such as arteriosclerosis or oxidative stress may be the vascular problem underlying glaucoma.