The Association of Serum Vitamin D Levels with Pseudoexfoliation Glaucoma/Syndrome

Abstract

To investigate whether serum vitamin D levels have an effect on pseudoexfoliation (PEX) glaucoma/syndrome development and on the control of glaucoma in these cases. A total of 31 cases with PEX glaucoma, 34 cases with the PEX syndrome and 43 control subjects of similar age and sex were included in the study. Vitamin D levels were compared between the groups and also between the cases where glaucoma surgery was performed or not. PEX glaucoma group consisted of 17 males and 14 females, PEX syndrome group of 27 males and 7 females, and the control group of 27 males and 16 females. The mean age was 70.9±8.9 years, 72.1±7.3 years, and 67.9±9.1 years in PEX glaucoma, syndrome and control group, respectively. Mean vitamin D levels were 9.4±7.7 ng/mL, 7.9±6,1 ng/mL, 11.5±14.2 ng/mL in PEX glaucoma, syndrome and control group, respectively (p>0.05). The mean serum vitamin D level was 8.04±4.7 ng/mL in those who underwent glaucoma surgery and 10.1±8.7 ng/mL in those who didn't undergo glaucoma surgery in PEX glaucoma group (p>0.05). No difference was found between the PEX glaucoma sub- groups in terms of the mean deviation when classified according to vitamin D levels (<10 ng/mL, ≥10 ng/mL) (p>0.05). Although we found no statistically significant difference between the PEX syndrome/glaucoma, and control group in terms of serum vitamin D levels, serum vitamin D levels were lower in PEX syndrome and glaucoma group than control group. Our results indicate that serum vitamin D levels have no effect on the development of PEX glaucoma/syndrome or the control of the disorder in cases with PEX glaucoma. However, these results need to be supported with further studies on a larger number of patients and with longer follow-up.