Investigation Of Blindness And Low Vision In Adults Aged Over 50 Years In Sanhe Town Of Jincheng City

Objective:This paper is to find out the prevalence of blindness and low vision in adults aged≥50 years in Sanhe town of Jincheng, Shanxi province. Assessment the statue of blindness andlow vision and its major cause of blindness in our province. To master the epidemiological dataof the blindness and low vision, provide the basis of blindness prevension policy in rural area inour province.Methods: All residents aged≥50 years were visited in Sanhe town of Jincheng in May 2010, inwhich vision examine and non-mydriatic digital fundus photography were done. Simple visualacuity test and questionnaire of chronic diseases were done in all residents, and nonmydriaticanterior segment and fundus photographs were taken only in those with low vision. All thephotographs were uploaded to the internet for telemedicine. Blindness and low vision weregraded by World Health Organization (WHO) standards, and the main cause of blindness andlow vision defined.Results: Of 6967 enumerated subjects, 6769 adults participated in the survey and response ratewas 96.7%. The results show that the prevalence of bilateral blindness was 1.27%; theprevalence of single blindness was 1.17%; the prevalence of bilateral low vision was 2.13%; theprevalence of single low vision was 1.30%. The prevalence of blindness and low visionincreased with ages, and the prevalence rate of females was 6.95%, more than that of males.Cataract was the leading cause of blindness and low vision(the prevalence rate of cataract56.07%), followed by fundus abnormalities, pterygium, glaucoma and corneal disease.Conclusions:The prevalence of blindness and low vision in adults aged≥50 years in Sanhetown of Jincheng increases with ages; The prevalence rate of females is more than that of males.The cataract is the leading cause for blindness of the elder. It can be concluded that cataractprevension is the key to prevent blindness and to improve low vision in Sanhe town of Jincheng.To strengthen the publicity and to screen the eye diseases is still the key prevention incountrysides.