Indian Journal of Ophthalmology (Jan 2014)
Prevalence and causes of low vision and blindness in an urban population: The Chennai Glaucoma Study
- Lingam Vijaya,
- Ronnie George,
- Rashima Asokan,
- Lokapavani Velumuri,
- Sathyamangalam Ve Ramesh
Affiliations
- Lingam Vijaya
- Ronnie George
- Rashima Asokan
- Lokapavani Velumuri
- Sathyamangalam Ve Ramesh
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.4103/0301-4738.111186
- Journal volume & issue
-
Vol. 62,
no. 4
pp. 477 – 481
Abstract
Aim: To evaluate the prevalence and causes of low vision and blindness in an urban south Indian population. Settings and Design: Population-based cross-sectional study. Exactly 3850 subjects aged 40 years and above from Chennai city were examined at a dedicated facility in the base hospital. Materials and Methods: All subjects had a complete ophthalmic examination that included best-corrected visual acuity. Low vision and blindness were defined using World Health Organization (WHO) criteria. The influence of age, gender, literacy, and occupation was assessed using multiple logistic regression. Statistical Analysis: Chi-square test, t-test, and multivariate analysis were used. Results: Of the 4800 enumerated subjects, 3850 subjects (1710 males, 2140 females) were examined (response rate, 80.2%). The prevalence of blindness was 0.85% (95% CI 0.6-1.1%) and was positively associated with age and illiteracy. Cataract was the leading cause (57.6%) and glaucoma was the second cause (16.7%) for blindness. The prevalence of low vision was 2.9% (95% CI 2.4-3.4%) and visual impairment (blindness + low vision) was 3.8% (95% CI 3.2-4.4%). The primary causes for low vision were refractive errors (68%) and cataract (22%). Conclusions: In this urban population based study, cataract was the leading cause for blindness and refractive error was the main reason for low vision.
Keywords
- Mean deviation
- non-proliferative diabetic retinopathy
- short fluctuations
- short wave automated perimetry
- standard automated perimetry
- Antimicrobial effect
- conventional silicone oil
- endophthalmitis agents
- heavy silicone oil
- Keratoconus
- modified deep anterior lamellar keratoplasty
- steep corneal curvature
- Bevacizumab
- branch retinal vein occlusion
- intravitreal
- macular edema
- triamcinolone
- Blindness
- disability evaluation
- quality of life
- visual acuity
- Mitomycin C
- pterygium recurrence
- pterygium surgery
- subconjunctival bevacizumab injection
- Imaging in glaucoma
- optical coherence tomography
- pediatric
- retinal nerve fiber layer
- Autogenous tissue grafting
- lacrimal drainage system
- lacrimal fossa
- bypass surgery
- Cornea
- excimer laser
- growth factors
- myopia
- photorefractive keratectomy
- Triamcinolone acetonide
- human trabecular meshwork cells
- in vitro
- Hyperopic implantable collamer lens
- myopic implantable collamer lens
- optical quality
- wavefront aberrations
- Dacryocystorhinostomy
- nasolacrimal duct obstruction
- silicone tube
- Age
- anterior chamber depth
- body height
- primary angle closure glaucoma
- sex
- Children
- eye injury vitrectomy study
- eye injury
- trauma
- vitrectomy
- Corneal biomechanics
- corneal hysteresis
- corneal resistance factor
- intraocular pressure
- keratoplasty
- ocular response analyser
- Aspherical intraocular lens
- quality of vision
- spherical aberrations
- Benign
- excision
- lids and caruncle
- no recurrence
- ocular FH
- Bevacizumab
- inflammation
- sterile endophthalmitis
- Carotid artery disease
- ocular ischemic syndrome
- retinal emboli
- Blindness
- cataract
- India
- low vision
- population