The study discussed in this article determined the prevalence of pseudoexfoliation syndrome (PXS) in the Russian immigrant population in Baltimore.

Each Russian immigrant patient who presented to the Krieger Eye Institute (Baltimore) resident clinic between November 1992 and June 1993 underwent a complete ophthalmologic examination with special attention to signs of PXS (n=119).

All patients found to have PXS were scheduled for glaucoma screening tests, including visual field testing, fundus photography, and nerve fiber layer photography.

The results from these tests were reviewed in a masked fashion by an attending ophthalmologist trained in diagnosing glaucoma.

The results of the study discovered PXS in 25/119 of patients (21%) ; bilateral PXS was observed in 11/25 patients with PXS (44%) ; ocular hypertension was observed in 4/25 patients with PXS (16%) ; 14 of the 25 PXS patients (56%) underwent the glaucoma screening tests.

Pseudoexfoliative glaucoma was found in 4/14 of these patients (28.5%).