Trends in glaucoma morbidity in the population of Ukraine and the city of Kyiv
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.32782/2077-6594/2026.1/13Keywords:
glaucoma, epidemiology, morbidity, dynamics, trends, DALY, Ukraine, Kyiv, public healthAbstract
Purpose: to analyze the 30-year dynamics of glaucoma morbidity in Ukraine and Kyiv. Materials and methods. The study used official data from the Public Health Center of the Ministry of Health of Ukraine, the Kyiv City Information and Analytical Center for Medical Statistics, and the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME, USA) on glaucoma prevalence, incidence, and disease burden (DALY) for 1993–2024. Disability data due to blindness and statistics on glaucoma Chernobyl-affected persons in Kyiv were also analyzed using bibliographic, statistical, and analytical methods. Results. Between 2008 and 2017, glaucoma prevalence in Ukraine increased by 8.2%, while incidence declined by 24.4%; in Kyiv, both indicators decreased (by 8% and 23.7%, respectively). Older adults were most affected, confirming age as a major risk factor. Regional variations in prevalence were partly explained by demographic differences, yet correlations between age structure and glaucoma indicators were weak and statistically insignificant. IHME data for 2023 showed that glaucoma prevalence Ukrainians aged 20+ exceeded the global rate by 52% (by 82.3% women). Ukrainian women had higher prevalence across all age groups, in contrast to the global pattern. DALY rates improved globally and nationally except Ukrainian adults aged 20+, particularly women (+10.1%). Conclusions. The findings reveal mixed trends that partly align with global evidence but question the assumed strong impact of population aging on glaucoma morbidity. Declining incidence may reflect issues of access, quality, and coverage of ophthalmologic care. Given the rapidly aging population and underdiagnosis, the actual burden of glaucoma in Ukraine may be substantially underestimated.
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