[Glaucoma blindness in Denmark].

The prevalence and the incidence of glaucoma blindness in Denmark was evaluated by examining all registration forms of persons > or = 50 years of age admitted to the Danish Association of the Blind (DAB) between 1955 and 1987 with glaucoma as main cause of blindness. In 1987, 6.7% of DAB-members > or = 50 years suffered from blindness caused at least partially by glaucoma, equivalent to an estimated prevalence of 45 per 100,000 of the Danish population > or = 50 years. The estimated annual incidence of blindness due to glaucoma was seven per 100,000 > or = 65 years, and in an equal number of patients glaucoma was a contributory cause of blindness. The incidence of glaucoma blindness was decreasing in the younger age groups (< 65 years) throughout the study period. Glaucoma blindness seems to occur at a later age now than earlier, leaving the patients blind for a shorter time. The proportion of glaucoma blindness in the glaucoma population was estimated to be 4-5%.