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BMJ Open Jan 2022To estimate global prevalence of blindness and vision loss caused by glaucoma, and to evaluate the impact of socioeconomic factors on it. (Observational Study)
Observational Study
OBJECTIVE
To estimate global prevalence of blindness and vision loss caused by glaucoma, and to evaluate the impact of socioeconomic factors on it.
DESIGN
A population-based observational study.
SETTING
The prevalence of blindness and vision loss due to glaucoma were obtained from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2017 database. The Human Development Index (HDI), inequality-adjusted HDI and other socioeconomic data were acquired from international open databases.
MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES
The prevalence of blindness and vision loss due to glaucoma by age, gender, subregion and Socio-Demographic Index (SDI) levels. Multiple linear regression analysis was performed to explore the associations between the prevalence and socioeconomic indicators.
RESULTS
The overall age-standardised prevalence of blindness and vision loss due to glaucoma worldwide was 81.5 per 100 000 in 1990 and 75.6 per 100 000 in 2017. In 2017, men had a higher age-standardised prevalence than women (6.07% vs 5.42%), and the worldwide prevalence increased with age, from 0.5 per 100 000 in the 45-49 year age group to 112.9 per 100 000 among those 70+. Eastern Mediterranean and African regions had the highest prevalence during the whole period, while the Americas region had the lowest prevalence. The prevalence was highest in low-SDI and low-income regions while lowest in high-SDI and high-income regions over the past 27 years. Multiple linear regression showed cataract surgery rate (β=-0.01, p=0.009), refractive error prevalence (β=-0.03, p=0.024) and expected years of schooling (β= -8.33, p=0.035) were associated with lower prevalence, while gross national income per capita (β=0.002, p<0.001) was associated with higher prevalence.
CONCLUSIONS
Lower socioeconomic levels and worse access to eyecare services are associated with higher prevalence of glaucoma-related blindness and vision loss. These findings provide evidence for policy-makers that investments in these areas may reduce the burden of the leading cause of irreversible blindness.
Topics: Blindness; Female; Glaucoma; Global Burden of Disease; Humans; Male; Prevalence; Vision Disorders
PubMed: 34992115
DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2021-053805 -
Bulletin of the World Health... 2001The impact of visual loss has profound implications for the person affected and society as a whole. The majority of blind people live in developing countries, and... (Review)
Review
The impact of visual loss has profound implications for the person affected and society as a whole. The majority of blind people live in developing countries, and generally, their blindness could have been avoided or cured. Given the current predictions that the number of blind people worldwide will roughly double by the year 2020, it is clear that there is no room for complacency. As the world's population increases and as a greater proportion survives into late adulthood, so the number of people with visual loss will inexorably rise. Given the success of programmes in combating the most common causes of blindness (infectious diseases and malnutrition) which generally affect the young, and the projected demographic shift, age-related eye disease will become increasingly prevalent. Effective preventive measures for these diseases can only be established as more is known about their etiology. As the longevity of the world's population increases, the visual requirements at the workplace are also changing. People with low vision may be at a disadvantage in many common activities, and may face unemployment--particularly in technological societies. The definition of blindness needs to be rethought, to ensure that people with "economic" blindness are not forgotten. Efforts should be made to recognize and treat those affected at an early stage, for the benefit of the individual and society.
Topics: Aging; Blindness; Cost of Illness; Forecasting; Global Health; Health Priorities; Humans; Macular Degeneration
PubMed: 11285670
DOI: No ID Found -
Tidsskrift For Den Norske Laegeforening... Mar 2021The aetiology of transient monocular vision loss is not necessarily thromboembolic, and careful history-taking is crucial in making the correct diagnosis. (Review)
Review
BACKGROUND
The aetiology of transient monocular vision loss is not necessarily thromboembolic, and careful history-taking is crucial in making the correct diagnosis.
CASE PRESENTATION
A previously healthy woman in her thirties was referred to our outpatient stroke clinic on suspicion of recurring amaurosis fugax in her right eye. The ophthalmic and neurologic examinations were normal. A review of the medical history revealed that her symptoms occurred in connection with using her smartphone in bed, typically while lying on her left side with the left eye covered by the pillow. When standing up from the bed again with the lights turned off in the bedroom, she noticed vision loss in her right eye.
INTERPRETATION
We concluded that the patient had experienced transient smartphone blindness. This phenomenon can occur when monocularly using a smartphone under scotopic lighting conditions; only the occluded eye adapts to darkness, and the other eye is perceived to be blind if looking away from the bright smartphone screen.
Topics: Amaurosis Fugax; Blindness; Diagnosis, Differential; Female; Humans; Smartphone; Vision Disorders
PubMed: 33754676
DOI: 10.4045/tidsskr.20.0972 -
Current Opinion in Ophthalmology May 2019Approximately 10% of patients become blind despite using evidence-based guidelines developed from clinical trials and epidemiology studies. Our purpose is to review... (Review)
Review
PURPOSE OF REVIEW
Approximately 10% of patients become blind despite using evidence-based guidelines developed from clinical trials and epidemiology studies. Our purpose is to review opportunities to decrease glaucoma-related blindness using the emerging principles of precision medicine.
RECENT FINDINGS
The current review focuses on three topics: first, candidate biomarkers for angle-based surgeries, second, head-mounted display (HMD) technology for vision and testing, and third, glaucoma risk alleles discovered by genome-wide association studies. First, in angle-based surgeries, tracers injected into the anterior chamber or Schlemm's canal have allowed visualization of aqueous veins. We describe an innovative use of optical coherence tomography angiography to visualize aqueous veins in a case with 6-year successful outcome following catheter-based trabeculotomy. Second, HMD technology can augment perceived vision and can be used for perimetry testing. Third, developing genetic risk scores that characterize patients who are at highest risk for blindness is a priority. Such biomarker risk scores will integrate genome-wide association study-based risk alleles for glaucoma along with well known demographic and clinical risk factors.
SUMMARY
As we gain more knowledge, precision medicine will enable clinicians to decrease glaucoma-related blindness by providing more timely interventions to those patients who are at highest risk for progression to blindness. VIDEO ABSTRACT: http://links.lww.com/COOP/A29.
Topics: Blindness; Glaucoma; Humans; Intraocular Pressure; Precision Medicine; Tomography, Optical Coherence; Visual Field Tests
PubMed: 30883441
DOI: 10.1097/ICU.0000000000000564 -
The British Journal of Ophthalmology Dec 2001
Review
Topics: Age Factors; Blindness; Cataract Extraction; Educational Status; Humans; Income; Prevalence; Risk Factors; Sex Factors; Social Class
PubMed: 11734525
DOI: 10.1136/bjo.85.12.1484 -
The Lancet. Healthy Longevity Jan 2022
Topics: Blindness; Humans
PubMed: 36098281
DOI: 10.1016/S2666-7568(21)00309-3 -
Indian Journal of Ophthalmology Feb 2017A review appropriateness of the current definition of blindness under National Programme for Control of Blindness (NPCB), Government of India. Online search of... (Review)
Review
A review appropriateness of the current definition of blindness under National Programme for Control of Blindness (NPCB), Government of India. Online search of peer-reviewed scientific published literature and guidelines using PubMed, the World Health Organization (WHO) IRIS, and Google Scholar with keywords, namely blindness and visual impairment, along with offline examination of reports of national and international organizations, as well as their cross-references was done until December 2016, to identify relevant documents on the definition of blindness. The evidence for the historical and currently adopted definition of blindness under the NPCB, the WHO, and other countries was reviewed. Differences in the NPCB and WHO definitions were analyzed to assess the impact on the epidemiological status of blindness and visual impairment in India. The differences in the criteria for blindness under the NPCB and the WHO definitions cause an overestimation of the prevalence of blindness in India. These variations are also associated with an over-representation of refractive errors as a cause of blindness and an under-representation of other causes under the NPCB definition. The targets for achieving elimination of blindness also become much more difficult to achieve under the NPCB definition. Ignoring differences in definitions when comparing the global and Indian prevalence of blindness will cause erroneous interpretations. We recommend that the appropriate modifications should be made in the NPCB definition of blindness to make it consistent with the WHO definition.
Topics: Blindness; Humans; India; Prevalence; Program Evaluation
PubMed: 28345562
DOI: 10.4103/ijo.IJO_869_16 -
Asia-Pacific Journal of Ophthalmology... 2018Inherited retinal diseases (IRDs) are a major cause of incurable familial blindness in the Western world. In the pediatric population, IRDs are a major contributor to... (Review)
Review
Inherited retinal diseases (IRDs) are a major cause of incurable familial blindness in the Western world. In the pediatric population, IRDs are a major contributor to the 19 million children worldwide with visual impairment. Unfortunately, the road to the correct diagnosis is often complicated in the pediatric population, as typical diagnostic tools such as fundus examination, electrodiagnostic studies, and other imaging modalities may be difficult to perform in the pediatric patient. In this review, we describe the most significant IRDs with onset during the pediatric years (ie, before the age of 18). We describe the pathogenesis, clinical presentation, and potential treatment of these diseases. In addition, we advocate the use of a pedigree (family medical history), electroretinography, and genetic testing as the 3 most crucial tools for the correct diagnosis of IRDs in the pediatric population.
Topics: Blindness; Child; Diagnostic Techniques, Ophthalmological; Disease Management; Genetic Testing; Humans; Retinal Diseases
PubMed: 29536675
DOI: 10.22608/APO.201851 -
Frontiers in Public Health 2022This study aimed to provide a comprehensive assessment of burden estimates and the secular trend of blindness and vision loss, as measured by years lived with disability...
PURPOSE
This study aimed to provide a comprehensive assessment of burden estimates and the secular trend of blindness and vision loss, as measured by years lived with disability (YLDs), at the global, regional, and national levels.
METHODS
The age-standardized YLD rates (ASYRs) due to blindness and vision loss and its subtypes, including moderate vision loss, severe vision loss, blindness, and presbyopia, from 1990 to 2019 were extracted from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2019 database. The estimated annual percentage changes (EAPCs) were calculated to quantify the temporal trends in the ASYRs due to blindness and vision loss.
RESULTS
In 2019, the global ASYRs per 100,000 population was 327.98 for blindness and vision loss, specifically, 85.81 for moderate vision loss, 74.86 for severe vision loss, 95.03 for blindness, and 62.27 for presbyopia. From 1990 to 2019, the ASYRs due to blindness and vision loss slightly decreased. Females showed higher ASYRs than males in 2019. The global highest ASYRs were observed in South Asia and sub-Saharan Africa. Negative associations were found between the burden estimates of blindness and vision loss and the sociodemographic index levels. The EAPCs of ASYRs in blindness and vision loss were significantly negatively correlated with the ASYRs in 1990 and positively correlated with human development indices in 2019.
CONCLUSIONS
Globally, blindness and vision loss continue to cause great losses of healthy life. Reasonable resource allocation and health-service planning are needed for the prevention and early intervention of disabilities caused by vision loss.
Topics: Male; Female; Humans; Global Burden of Disease; Presbyopia; Disability-Adjusted Life Years; Global Health; Prevalence; Blindness
PubMed: 36388337
DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2022.1033495 -
Indian Journal of Ophthalmology May 2019
Topics: Blindness; Global Health; Humans; Prevalence; Refraction, Ocular; Refractive Errors
PubMed: 31007210
DOI: 10.4103/ijo.IJO_762_19