Exfoliation Syndrome in a Large Vietnamese American Clinic Population: Clinical Characteristics Including Prevalence of Glaucoma and Narrow Angles

Purpose: To determine the proportion with pseudoexfoliation, or exfoliation syndrome (EXF), among a clinic population of Vietnamese patients, and to assess their clinical and demographic characteristics. Patients and Methods: We conducted a retrospective survey of all adult Vietnamese-identifying patients examined between August 2019 and December 2021 in a single glaucoma-trained physician clinic in San, Jose, CA, home to a large Vietnamese population. All patients received at least one dilated eye examination by a glaucoma-fellowship trained specialist to detect exfoliation. Patients with a billing diagnosis of EXF were further selected for detailed review of their electronic health records. Results: Among the 4860 Vietnamese patients reviewed within the study period, 89 (1.8%) were found to have EXF. The average age of the EXF patients was 81±8 (range 66-99) years. There was equal gender distribution (44 female, 45 male). Among the 119 eyes with exfoliation, 66 (55.46%) had narrow angles, 71 (59.66%) had glaucoma and 54 (45.38%) had undergone cataract surgery. Conclusion: This study is the first to investigate the prevalence and clinical characteristics of EXF in a Vietnamese American clinic population. In this cohort of Vietnamese patients from a single ophthalmic clinic, 1.8% were found to have exfoliation syndrome. Among the EXF cases, there were substantial numbers with narrow angles, glaucoma, and history of cataract surgery.