Vision Status in Older Adults: The Brazilian Amazon Region Eye Survey

Author(s):Show less -

Salomao, Solange R. ^[1] ; Berezovsky, Adriana ^[1] ; Furtado, Joao M. ^{[1, 2]} ; Fernandes, Arthur G. ^[1] ; Munoz, Sergio ^[3] ; Cavascan, Nivea N. ^[1] ; Cypel, Marcela C. ^[1] ; Cunha, Cristina C. ^[4] ; Vasconcelos, Galton C. ^{[5, 1]} ; Mitsuhiro, Marcia R. K. H. ^[1] ; Sacai, Paula Y. ^[1] ; Campos, Mauro ^[1] ; Morales, Paulo H. A. ^[1] ; Cohen, Marcos J. ^[6] ; Cohen, Jacob M. ^[6] ; Watanabe, Sung E. S. ^[1] ; Belfort, Jr., Rubens ^[1]

Affiliation

^[1] Univ Fed Sao Paulo UNIFESP, Escola Paulista Med, Dept Oftalmol & Ciencias Visuais, Sao Paulo, SP - Brazil

^[2] Univ Sao Paulo, Fac Med Ribeirao Preto, Dept Oftalmol Otorrinolaringol & Cirurgia Cabeca, Ribeirao Preto, SP - Brazil

^[3] Univ La Frontera, Dept Salud Publ, Temuco - Chile

^[4] Univ Fed UFPA, Fac Med, Belem, PA - Brazil

^[5] Univ Fed Minas Gerais, Fac Med, Dept Oftalmol & Otorrinolaringol, Belo Horizonte, MG - Brazil

^[6] Univ Fed Amazonas UFAM, Fac Med, Dept Cirurgia, Div Oftalmol, Manaus, Amazonas - Brazil

• Document type: Journal article
• Source: SCIENTIFIC REPORTS; v. 8, JAN 17 2018.
• Web of Science Citations: 2

Abstract

Older adults living in remote areas with limited access to health services are at higher risk to develop visual impairment and blindness. We conducted a population-based survey to determine the vision status in subjects 45 years of age and older from urban and rural areas of Parintins city, Brazilian Amazon Region. Participants underwent ophthalmic examination, including uncorrected (UCVA), presenting (PVA) and best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA). Vision status was described as lines of visual acuity (VA) impairment and lines of VA improvement from UCVA to BCVA and from PVA to BCVA in the better-seeing eye. A total of 2384 subjects were enumerated, 2041 (85.6%) were examined, with reliable VA measurements obtained from 2025 participants. Vision status in lines of VA impairment was (mean +/- standard deviation): 3.44 +/- 3.53 for UCVA, 2.85 +/- 3.52 for PVA and 1.50 +/- 3.51 for BCVA. Female gender, older age and lower education were associated with >= 6 lines of UCVA impairment. Lines of improvement >= 3 was found in 626 (30.9%) participants and associated with female gender and rural residency. In conclusion, a third of participants could have at least three lines of VA improvement with proper refraction. Strategies to improve access to eye care and affordable glasses are needed. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 13/16397-7 - Eye survey of the city of Parintins, AM: prevalence and causes of near and distance visual impairment and blindness
• Grantee: Solange Rios Salomão
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants