Ocular pseudoexfoliation associated with hearing loss

OBJECTIVE: Ocular pseudoexfoliation (PXF) has been recently considered as a systemic disease affecting other organs as well as the eye. This prospective study is to assess the relationship between PXF and sensorineural hearing loss.

METHODS: Patients attending a general ophthalmic clinic at King Hussein Medical Center, Amman, Jordan from (March 2002 through to March 2003) who were found to have ocular PXF on routine ophthalmic examination were referred to the Audiometric Department. Pure tone hearing threshold was measured at 1, 2, 3 kHz for each ear and was compared with International Standard (ISO 7029) median age associated hearing loss at 1, 2, 3 kHz (AAHL).

RESULTS: Forty-one patients were studied of whom 24 were males (58.5%); the mean age of the male patients was 78-years while that of the female group was 72-years. All patients had PXF affecting at least one eye, 16 patients (39%) had bilateral PXF. Overall (72-years) of 36 patients (87%) had a higher hearing threshold level (HTL) at 1, 2, 3 kHz (HTL (1, 2, 3) than the ISO 7029 median AAHL 1, 2, 3 which included (44 ears) of 22 patients in the male group (87%) and (28 ears) of 14 patients in the female group 82%. Approximately 26.8% of patients had glaucoma, however; there was no correlation between glaucoma and sensorineural hearing threshold level.

CONCLUSION: The majority of patients with ocular PXF had sensorineural hearing loss compared to age-matched controls. Thus, there is increasing evidence that PXF is a systemic disease.