Epidemiological aspects of intraocular pressure in an onchocerciasis endemic area.

A field investigation of intraocular pressure in populations in onchocerciasis endemic areas of West Africa revealed a normal pressure distribution in individuals without signs of ocular onchocerciasis or with only microfilariae or reversible lesions in the eye. Females showed a significantly higher mean ocular tension, and in both sexes tension decreased with age. Patients with irreversible onchocercal ocular lesions and signs of anterior uveitis showed a significantly lower and abnormally distributed intraocular pressure. The prevalence of glaucoma was significantly higher in this group, thus indicating that a high intensity of onchocercal infection may be associated with a risk of secondary glaucoma. The presence of microfilariae in the ocular tissues and consequent inflammatory reactions may possibly give rise to an abnormal distribution of ocular tension.