Prevalence and Causes of Visual Impairment in Chinese Adults in Urban Southern China

Abstract

Objective: To assess the prevalence and causes of visual impairment and blindness in adults living in an urban area of southern China. Methods: Random cluster sampling was used to identify the adults 50 years and older living in the Liwan district of Guangzhou, China. Presenting visual acuity (PVA) with habitual correction and best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) based on autorefraction and subjective refraction were measured using the Early Treatment Diabetic Retinopathy Study visual chart. Blindness and low vision were defined according to World Health Organization criteria. Eyes with visual impairment were assigned 1 principal cause for the impairment. Results: Visual acuity measurements were available for 1399 adults 50 years and older (75.3% participation rate). The prevalence of blindness and low vision based on the PVA was 0.6% (95% confidence interval, 0.2%-1.0%) and 10.1% (95% confidence interval, 8.5%-11.7%), respectively. These rates were reduced to 0.5% and 3.1% when the BCVA was considered. Based on the PVA, the principal causes for blindness were cataract (39.6%), glaucoma (11.0%), and myopic maculopathy (6.6%). The majority of low vision cases were attributable to cataract (45.3%) and uncorrected refractive error (43.9%). Conclusion: The majority of eye diseases leading to visual impairment are potentially treatable in this population.

Causes and Five-Year Incidence of Blindness and Visual Impairment in Urban Southern China: The Liwan Eye Study

“…Our findings suggested the need for population screening, education, and low-cost refractive correction to encourage the use of spectacles. As in many other populations, [16][17][18][19][20][21] age-related cataract was the most frequent cause of best-corrected VI in our study. Even though the cataract surgical rate for Chinese cities is well above the current national figure (772 cases per million population).…”

Causes and Five-Year Incidence of Blindness and Visual Impairment in Urban Southern China: The Liwan Eye Study

“…Our findings suggested the need for population screening, education, and low-cost refractive correction to encourage the use of spectacles. As in many other populations, [16][17][18][19][20][21] age-related cataract was the most frequent cause of best-corrected VI in our study. Even though the cataract surgical rate for Chinese cities is well above the current national figure (772 cases per million population).…”

Missing X and Y: a review of participant ages in population‐based eye studies

“…The Liwan Eye Study examined adults 50 years of age and older living in urban China and described cataract and uncorrected refractive error as the leading causes of low vision and blindness. 90 Consistent with other urban studies they reported the agespecific prevalence of low vision and blindness was substantially lower than what has been found in rural populations such as that included in the Handan Eye Study, also in China. 42 The prevalence of blindness and low vision in Asia is relatively high, with cataract identified as the major cause.…”

Patterns and Risk Factor Profiles of Visual Loss in a Multiethnic Asian Population: The Singapore Epidemiology of Eye Diseases Study

“…Compared with other Asian studies conducted in the past 2 decades (Supplementary the China Nine Province Survey, [14][15][16]19,20,22 the prevalence of VI and blindness (for both presenting and best-corrected) was relatively lower for Singaporean Chinese. Similarly, Singaporean Indian individuals had lower rates of VI and blindness than other landmark population Indian studies, such as the Andhra Pradesh Eye Study 26 and the Central India Eye and Medical Study.…”

Causes and Five-Year Incidence of Blindness and Visual Impairment in Urban Southern China: The Liwan Eye Study

“…Our findings suggested the need for population screening, education, and low-cost refractive correction to encourage the use of spectacles. As in many other populations, [16][17][18][19][20][21] age-related cataract was the most frequent cause of best-corrected VI in our study. Even though the cataract surgical rate for Chinese cities is well above the current national figure (772 cases per million population).…”

Missing X and Y: a review of participant ages in population‐based eye studies

“…The Liwan Eye Study examined adults 50 years of age and older living in urban China and described cataract and uncorrected refractive error as the leading causes of low vision and blindness. 90 Consistent with other urban studies they reported the agespecific prevalence of low vision and blindness was substantially lower than what has been found in rural populations such as that included in the Handan Eye Study, also in China. 42 The prevalence of blindness and low vision in Asia is relatively high, with cataract identified as the major cause.…”

Patterns and Risk Factor Profiles of Visual Loss in a Multiethnic Asian Population: The Singapore Epidemiology of Eye Diseases Study

“…Compared with other Asian studies conducted in the past 2 decades (Supplementary the China Nine Province Survey, [14][15][16]19,20,22 the prevalence of VI and blindness (for both presenting and best-corrected) was relatively lower for Singaporean Chinese. Similarly, Singaporean Indian individuals had lower rates of VI and blindness than other landmark population Indian studies, such as the Andhra Pradesh Eye Study 26 and the Central India Eye and Medical Study.…”

Causes and Five-Year Incidence of Blindness and Visual Impairment in Urban Southern China: The Liwan Eye Study

“…Our findings suggested the need for population screening, education, and low-cost refractive correction to encourage the use of spectacles. As in many other populations, [16][17][18][19][20][21] age-related cataract was the most frequent cause of best-corrected VI in our study. Even though the cataract surgical rate for Chinese cities is well above the current national figure (772 cases per million population).…”

Missing X and Y: a review of participant ages in population‐based eye studies

“…The Liwan Eye Study examined adults 50 years of age and older living in urban China and described cataract and uncorrected refractive error as the leading causes of low vision and blindness. 90 Consistent with other urban studies they reported the agespecific prevalence of low vision and blindness was substantially lower than what has been found in rural populations such as that included in the Handan Eye Study, also in China. 42 The prevalence of blindness and low vision in Asia is relatively high, with cataract identified as the major cause.…”

Patterns and Risk Factor Profiles of Visual Loss in a Multiethnic Asian Population: The Singapore Epidemiology of Eye Diseases Study

“…Compared with other Asian studies conducted in the past 2 decades (Supplementary the China Nine Province Survey, [14][15][16]19,20,22 the prevalence of VI and blindness (for both presenting and best-corrected) was relatively lower for Singaporean Chinese. Similarly, Singaporean Indian individuals had lower rates of VI and blindness than other landmark population Indian studies, such as the Andhra Pradesh Eye Study 26 and the Central India Eye and Medical Study.…”