PT - JOURNAL ARTICLE AU - Foster, Paul J AU - Devereux, Joe G AU - Alsbirk, Poul Helge AU - Lee, Pak Sang AU - Uranchimeg, Davaatseren AU - Machin, David AU - Johnson, Gordon J AU - Baasanhu, Jamyanjav TI - Detection of gonioscopically occludable angles and primary angle closure glaucoma by estimation of limbal chamber depth in Asians: modified grading scheme AID - 10.1136/bjo.84.2.186 DP - 2000 Feb 01 TA - British Journal of Ophthalmology PG - 186--192 VI - 84 IP - 2 4099 - http://bjo.bmj.com/content/84/2/186.short 4100 - http://bjo.bmj.com/content/84/2/186.full SO - Br J Ophthalmol2000 Feb 01; 84 AB - AIM To evaluate the performance of limbal chamber depth estimation as a means of detecting occludable drainage angles and primary angle closure, with or without glaucoma, in an east Asian population, and determine whether an augmented grading scheme would enhance test performance. METHOD A two phase, cross sectional, community based study was conducted on rural and urban areas of Hövsgöl and Ömnögobi provinces, Mongolia. 1800 subjects aged 40 to 93 years were selected and 1717 (95%) of these were examined. Depth of the anterior chamber at the temporal limbus was graded as a percentage fraction of peripheral corneal thickness. An “occludable” angle was one in which the trabecular meshwork was seen in less than 90° of the angle circumference by gonioscopy. Primary angle closure (PAC) was diagnosed in subjects with an occludable angle and either raised pressure or peripheral anterior synechiae. PAC with glaucoma (PACG) was diagnosed in cases with an occludable angle combined with glaucomatous optic neuropathy and consistent visual morbidity. RESULTS Occludable angles were identified in 140 subjects, 28 of these had PACG. The 15% grade (equivalent to the traditional “grade 1”) yielded sensitivity and specificity of 84% and 86% respectively for the detection of occludable angles. The 5% grade gave sensitivity of 91% and specificity of 93% for the detection of PACG. The interobserver agreement for this augmented grading scheme was good (weighted kappa 0.76). CONCLUSIONS The traditional limbal chamber depth grading scheme offers good performance for detecting occludable drainage angles in this population. The augmented scheme gives enhanced performance in detection of established PACG. The augmented scheme has potential for good interobserver agreement.