PurposeTo evaluate the prevalence of pterygium and its determinants in the underserved, rural population of Iran.MethodsIn this cross-sectional study of 3851 selected individuals, 86.5% participated in the study, and the prevalence of pterygium was evaluated in 3312 participants. A number of villages were selected from the north and south of Iran using multistage cluster sampling. Pterygium was diagnosed by the ophthalmologist using slit-lamp examination.ResultsThe mean age of the study participants was 37.3 ± 21.4 years (2–93 years), and 56.3% (n = 1865) of them were women. The prevalence of pterygium was 13.11% [95%confidence interval (CI):11.75–14.47]. The prevalence of pterygium was 14.99 (95%CI:12.79–17.19) in men and 12.07 (95%CI:10.3–13.84) in women. Pterygium was not seen in children below the age of 5 years. The prevalence of pterygium increased linearly with age; the lowest and highest prevalence of pterygium was observed in the age group 5–20 years (0.19%) and 61–70 years (28.57%). Evaluation of the relationship between pterygium with age, sex, educational level, and place of living using a multiple model showed that age, living in the south of Iran, and low educational level were correlated with pterygium.ConclusionThe prevalence of pterygium was significantly higher in Iranian villages when compared with the results of previous studies. This finding may represent the effect of a rural lifestyle and its risk factors.

PurposeThe present study aims at investigating and comparing the vision-related quality of life of myopic persons who wear spectacles or contact lenses with those who have undergone refractive surgery. It also compares the vision-related quality of life of these two groups with that of emmetropes.MethodIn this study, the questionnaire of evaluation instrument of refractive error in quality of life (NEI/RQL-42) was used to compare the quality of life between 154 myopic patients with spectacles and contact lenses, and 32 patients who have undergone refractive surgery. The two groups were also compared with 54 emmetropes. The questionnaire included 13 different subgroups (score 0–100) related to vision. Data was analyzed using SPSS software.ResultsThe overall score of quality of life in emmetropes (95.11 ± 4.23) was more than that in persons who had undergone refractive surgery (86.98 ± 4.73), and it was the least in the group wearing spectacles or contact lenses (78.30 ± 9.21), (P < 0/001). Furthermore, except for a glare variable, the studied groups indicated a statistically significant difference in all the thirteen subgroups of vision-related quality of life.ConclusionQuality of life for people with myopia who had the refractive surgery was better than people with myopia who wore spectacles or contact lenses. Although quality of life in people with myopia who had the refractive surgery was less than emmetropia, it seems that refractive surgery improves quality of life of myopic patients.

No abstract

PurposeTo evaluate the influence of colored light stimulus on simple visual reaction times.MethodsSimple visual reaction times of colored light stimuli were measured in 100 young Iranian females with the mean age of 23.02±3.45 years (range from 18 to 30 years) in response to the four visual stimuli (red, green, yellow and blue light) by using Speed Anticipation and Reaction Tester (SART) software.ResultsThe analysis of variance (ANOVA) test to compare visual reaction time showed a significant difference (P <0.001) between four colored light stimuli so that the maximum and minimum mean reaction times were obtained for blue- and red-colored light stimuli. Also, it was observed that the response latency for red color was significantly less compared to green color (P < 0.05).ConclusionThe present study showed that individuals do not respond to visual stimuli with different colors at the same speed, which may be due to different factors involved in the visual reaction time.

No abstract