MEDICAL, SOCIAL AND CLINICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF ELDERLY GLAUCOMA PATIENTS
Aim. The study of medical, social and clinical characteristics of elderly patients with glaucoma. Material and methods. The questionnaire including medical and social aspects of patients with primary open angle glaucoma was created. The survey was taken by 366 patients with glaucoma of I, II, III and IV stages living in the Altai territory and being treated at the Regional ophthalmologic Hospital. 3 groups were formed: group 1 - 104 patients of middle age (45-59 years), 42,3% (44) males and 57,7% (60) females, group 2 - 164 advanced people (60-74 years) - 40,2% (66) males and 59,8% (98) females, group 3 - 98 senile patients (75 years and older) - 36,7% (36) men and 63,3% (62) women. Results and discussion. The sociological study of glaucoma patients of different age groups showed that the patients in older age groups are characterized by higher index of comorbidity (5,4±0,3) rather than middle-aged patients (2,3±0,2). Psychological status of elderly patients was characterized by significantly lower parameters compared to those of middle aged ones. Conclusion. More than the half of senile patients rated their health as poor (62,2%), advanced persons (59,1%) and middle-aged group (70,2%) as satisfactory.