PREVALENCE OF PSEUDOEXFOLIATION OF THE LENS CAPSULE IN INDIA

The condition of Pseudoexfoliation of the lens capsule has been reported the world over in Ophthalmic literature but the reports published in different countries differ with regard to its incidence. Rehsteiner (1929) in Zurich found four cases of exfoliation in 238 patients over the age of sixty years 'an incidence of 1.7 0 / 0 . Baumgart (1933) in Italy found an incidence of 7.50/0 in 611 subjects over the age of 50 years. Horven (1937) in Norway found an incidence of 12.00/0 in 154 subjects over the age of 52 years. Irvine (1940) found an incidence of 310/0 in U.S.A. in a total of 276 cases. Laderkarl (1965) amongst 800 Danes, over sixty years found an incidence of 21/80/0. An incidence of 1.30/0 in persons over the age of 50 years and 1.9'0/0 over the age of 60 years has been reported by Backhaus and Lorentzen from D'enmark (1966). The assessment of incidence in India is based on the report of Irvine (1940) who examined two hundred and thirty five elderly patients in Madras, South India, admitted for cataract extraction. He found an incidence of 8 0/0 in these patients. The object of present investigation has been an attempt to estimate the incidence of pseudoexfolation of the lens capsule in India in patients over the age of 50 years. Clinically the exfoliation syndrome or pseudoexfoliation of lens capsule consists of flakes on the pupillary margin, a central disc and the peripheral band on the lens capsule. The pheripheral band is the most constant feature and we, therefore, cannot preclude the absence of exfoliation syndrome unless the peripheral band is shown to be absent (Horven, 1937). Further in patients