Presbyopia and Ocular Conditions Causing Near Vision Impairment in Older Adults From the Brazilian Amazon Region

Author(s):Show less -

Cunha, Cristina Coimbra ^[1] ; Berezovsky, Adriana ^[1] ; Furtado, Joao Marcello ^{[1, 2]} ; Ferraz, Nivea Nunes ^[1] ; Fernandes, Arthur Gustavo ^[1] ; Munoz, Sergio ^[3] ; Watanabe, Sung Song ^[1] ; Sacai, Paula Yuri ^[1] ; Cypel, Marcela ^[1] ; Mitsuhiro, Marcia Higashi ^[1] ; Morales, Paulo Henrique ^[1] ; Vasconcelos, Galton Carvalho ^{[4, 1]} ; Cohen, Marcos Jacob ^[5] ; Campos, Mauro ^[1] ; Cohen, Jacob Moyses ^[5] ; Belfort, Jr., Rubens ^[1] ; Salomao, Solange Rios ^[1]

Affiliation

^[1] Univ Fed Sao Paulo UNIFESP, Escola Paulista Med, Dept Oftalmol & Ciencias Visuais, Rua Botucatu 816, BR-04023062 Sao Paulo, SP - Brazil

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

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

^[4] Univ Fed Minas Gerais, Fac Med, Dept Oftalmol & Otorrinolaringol, Belo Horizonte, MG - Brazil

^[5] Univ Fed Amazonas UFAM, Fac Med, Dept Cirurgia, Div Oftalmol, Manaus, Amazonas - Brazil

• Document type: Journal article
• Source: AMERICAN JOURNAL OF OPHTHALMOLOGY; v. 196, p. 72-81, DEC 2018.
• Web of Science Citations: 1

Abstract

PURPOSE: To investigate the prevalence and causes of near vision impairment (NVI) in a population of older adults from the Brazilian Amazon Region. DESIGN: Population-based cross-sectional study. METHODS: Cluster sampling was used in randomly selecting subjects 45 years of age and older from urban and rural areas of Parintins city, Brazil. Participants underwent ophthalmic examination, including uncorrected (UCNVA), presenting (PNVA), and best-corrected near visual acuity (BCNVA) from each eye; biomicroscopy; funduscopy; and subjective refraction, including testing with additional lenses for near vision optical correction. A principal cause for NVI was assigned by the ophthalmologist and presbyopia was defined as UCNVA <= 20/40 changing to > 20/40 with BCNVA. Free-of-charge glasses were provided for those in need. RESULTS: A total of 2384 subjects were enumerated and 2025 had reliable NVA measurements from both eyes. The prevalence of NVI in the better-seeing eye was 96.5% with UCNVA, decreasing to 81.1% with PNVA and to 20.5% with BCNVA. Presbyopia was the principal cause of NVI in 71.8%, followed by cataract (16.5%) and pterygium (2.5%), and was associated with younger age and high schooling. Glasses for near vision were prescribed and provided to 1414 (69.8%) participants. CONCLUSIONS: A high prevalence of NVI was detected even in those wearing glasses for near. Prescription and provision of low-cost reading glasses should be considered by Brazilian health authorities to address this easily and promptly correctable form of vision impairment. (C) 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. (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