Vision examination opportunities in primary health care

Aim.To identify and evaluate visual examination apportunities in primary health care. Objectives. 1. To evaluate ambulatory history records in 2 years retrospective about performed visual acuity and intraocular pressure measurements. 2. To evaluate visual acuity and intraocular pressure measurement of \"active\" screening time. 3. To find out what are the outcomes in patients with increased intraocular pressure. 4. To determine the prevalence of vision disorders among subjects and analyze the potential risk factors. Subjects and methods.Information was collected in Family medicine clinic of the Lithuanian University of Health Sciences. There was 403 patient‘s ambulatory history records analized. Data was collected about the 2-year period prophylactic ophthalmological examinations, the incidence of glaucoma, diabetes, hypertension and \"active\" prophylactic ophthalmological examination. The main concept for \"active\" prophylactic examination is that family doctors, from Family medicine clinic of the Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, actively and independently invites patients to prophylactic examination. Results. After evaluation of 2-year term ambulatory history records, it was found that visual acuity measurement registered 34.7% (140) of patients, and intraocular pressure - 26.3% (106). After evaluation of \"active\" screening, visual acuity was measured to absolute majority of patients - 98% (395) and the intraocular pressure –to 50.9% (205). Intraocular pressure measurement was declined by 76.2% of 19 - 40 years old patients, 43.3% of 41 - 65 years old patiens and 32.2% of patients that are > 65 years old. Increased intraocular pressure was measured to 13.17% (27) of patients, 18 of them (66.67%) were sent for ophtalmologist consultation. Primary open-angle glaucoma was diagnosed to 0.98% (2)of patients. The reliable correlation was found between elevated intraocular pressure and patients with diabetic disease: between patients without diabetic disease ocular hypertension was found to 10.7%, while among patients with diabetic - 29.6% (p = 0.007). Conclusions. 1. Visual acuity measurement in period of 2 years was documented to one third of patients, and intraocular pressure measurement –to a quarter. Visual acuity and intraocular pressure measurements was more often registered to patiens that are > 65 years old (p <0.001). 2. While \"active\" screening the visual acuity was measured to absolute majority of patients, and the intraocular pressure to a half of the patients. Intraocular pressure measurement frequency was significantly lower among 19 - 40-year-old patients(p <0.001), most of them were likely to refuse this procedure. 3. The increase in intraocular pressure measured for more than one tenth of the patients, while primary open-angle glaucoma was diagnosed to 1% of patients. 4. Diabetic patients had a higher risk of having an intraocular pressure inscreasment (p = 0.007), meanwhile, the visual acuity disorders correlated with age and the incidence of hypertension (p