Purpose: To estimate the risk of blindness in patients with ocular hypertension (OHT) using an appropriate model and current empirical data.
Design: A Markov model with data from a systematic literature review.
Methods: A Markov model with 3 health states was built: OHT, primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG), and unilateral blindness. Literature was searched for reports on conversion from OHT to POAG and progression from POAG to blindness, to estimate a range of annual conversion and progression probabilities. The model had a cycle length of 1 year.
Results: The 15-year risk estimates ranged from 3.1% to 9.4% in untreated, and from 0.9% to 8.6% in treated patients with OHT. The ranges were the result of differences in patient populations, treatments, and outcome definitions in currently available empirical data.
Conclusions: The best estimates of the 15-year risk of unilateral blindness in patients with OHT, based on the currently available empirical data and an appropriate model, show that the risk is <10%.

doi.org/10.1097/IJG.0b013e318287ac75, hdl.handle.net/1765/79388
Journal of Glaucoma
Erasmus School of Health Policy & Management (ESHPM)

van Gestel, A., Webers, C. A. B., Beckers, H., Peeters, A., Severens, H., & Schouten, J. S. A. G. (2015). Ocular Hypertension and the Risk of Blindness. Journal of Glaucoma, 24(1), 9–11. doi:10.1097/IJG.0b013e318287ac75