Normative Exophthalmometry Measurements Vary Among Ethiopian Adults and the Major Ethiopian Ethnic Groups.

PURPOSE: Periocular and orbital anthropometric values vary among races. No studies have established normative exophthalmometry values for Ethiopians or the many Ethiopian ethnic groups. This study established a set of normative anthropometric values for exophthalmometry, and further evaluated whether these measurements differed based on sex or ethnic group. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was performed in the ophthalmology department at St. Paul's Hospital in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Two hundred ninety-six participants were recruited for the study. Sex, primary Ethiopian ethnic subgroup, and exophthalmometry measurements were recorded. Differences between ethnicities and sexes were evaluated using independent samples t test. RESULTS: Average proptosis for the total cohort was 15.88 ± 2.49 mm, with 582 eyes measured. Females (15.87 ± 2.53, n = 286) and males (15.89 ± 2.49, n = 296) were not significantly different in their proptosis measurements. Within the 3 largest ethnic groups measured, Amhara (16.12 ± 2.67, n = 204), Oromo (15.43 ± 2.51, n = 172), and Gurage (16.23 ± 2.59, n = 98), the difference in proptosis measurement was significant between the Amhara and Oromo groups (p = 0.01), and the Oromo and Gurage groups (p = 0.01). The only ethnic group that was significantly different between sexes was Gurage, of which average female proptosis was 15.51 ± 2.74 (n = 54), while male proptosis was 17.13 ± 2.11 (n = 44) (p < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Mean Ethiopian proptosis values vary across ethnicities, are similar to those measured in other African populations, but are lower than those established in African-American populations. This study provides an important resource that Ethiopian ophthalmologists can use when evaluating patients with suspected ophthalmic and orbital disease.

Glaucoma Awareness and Knowledge Among Ethiopians in a Tertiary Eye Care Center.

INTRODUCTION: Glaucoma outcomes are closely associated with patients' awareness of the disease. However, little is known about glaucoma awareness and knowledge in Addis Ababa, a densely populated and ethnolinguistically diverse capital city in Ethiopia, the second largest country in Africa. METHODS: We performed a cross-sectional survey in the ophthalmology waiting room at St. Paul's Hospital, a tertiary care center in Addis Ababa. Respondents included patients, patient family members, and non-clinical staff. Participants were asked if they had read or heard about glaucoma to gauge basic awareness of the disease; those with awareness were asked to take a quiz to measure their objective glaucoma knowledge. We performed multivariable regression to identify factors associated with glaucoma awareness, quiz performance, and self-rated ability to use eye drops. RESULTS: Of 298 respondents, 145 (48.7%) were female, and the average age was 44.9 ± 17.2 years. A majority (167; 56.0%) had primary school or less than primary school education. Only 131 (44.0%) had basic glaucoma awareness. Of these, 95 (72.5%) knew that glaucoma causes permanent vision loss, 103 (78.6%) knew glaucoma is often asymptomatic in early stages, 62 (47.3%) identified elevated intraocular pressure as a glaucoma risk factor, and 124 (94.7%) knew glaucoma was treatable. A majority of this subset (126; 96.2%) said they would be willing to use medicated eye drops, and 130 (99.2%) indicated a willingness to undergo surgery if recommended. Education level was independently associated with glaucoma awareness (p < 0.001) and glaucoma quiz performance (p = 0.03). CONCLUSION: In a population sample from an ophthalmology waiting room in Addis Ababa, glaucoma awareness was poor and most strongly associated with education level. Educational interventions at public health and provider-patient levels are warranted. Our results suggest high receptiveness to both medical and surgical treatment.