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Global issues
Prevalence and causes of vision loss in Southeast Asia and Oceania: 1990–2010
  1. J Keeffe1,2,
  2. H R Taylor3,
  3. K Fotis,4,
  4. K Pesudovs5,
  5. S R Flaxman6,
  6. J B Jonas7,
  7. J Leasher8,
  8. K Naidoo9,10,
  9. H Price11,
  10. R A White12,
  11. T Y Wong13,
  12. S Resnikoff10,
  13. R R A Bourne11,
  14. on behalf of the Vision Loss Expert Group of the Global Burden of Disease Study
  1. 1Department of Ophthalmology, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
  2. 2L V Prasad Eye Institute, Hyderabad, India
  3. 3Melbourne School of Population and Global Health, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia
  4. 4Centre for Eye Research Australia, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia
  5. 5NHMRC Centre for Clinical Eye Research, Flinders University, Adelaide, Australia
  6. 6School of Computer Science & Heinz College, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, USA
  7. 7Department of Ophthalmology, Universitätsmedizin, Mannheim, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany
  8. 8Nova South-eastern University, Fort Lauderdale, USA
  9. 9African Vision Research Institute, University of Kwazulu-Natal, Durban, KZN, South Africa
  10. 10Brien Holden Vision Institute, Sydney, Australia
  11. 11Vision and Eye Research Unit, Postgraduate Medical Institute, Anglia Ruskin University, Cambridge, UK
  12. 12Division of Epidemiology, Department of Genes and Environment, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway
  13. 13Singapore Eye Research Institute, Singapore, Singapore
  1. Correspondence to Professor Rupert R A Bourne, Vision and Eye Research Unit, Postgraduate Medical Institute, Anglia Ruskin University, East Road, Cambridge CB1 1PT, UK; rb{at}rupertbourne.co.uk

Abstract

Background To assess prevalence and causes of vision impairment in Southeast Asia and Oceania in 1990 and 2010.

Methods Based on a systematic review of medical literature, prevalence of moderate and severe vision impairment (MSVI; presenting visual acuity <6/18 but ≥3/60 in the better eye) and blindness (presenting visual acuity <3/60) was estimated for 1990 and 2010.

Results In Oceania, the age-standardised prevalence of blindness and MSVI did not decrease significantly (1.3% to 0.8% and 6.6% to 5.1%) respectively, but in Southeast Asia, blindness decreased significantly from 1.4% to 0.8%, a 43% decrease. There were significantly more women blind (2.18 million) compared with men (1.28 million) in the Southeast Asian population in 2010, but no significant gender differences in MSVI in either subregion. Cataract was the most frequent cause of blindness in Southeast Asia and Oceania in 1990 and 2010. Uncorrected refractive error, followed by cataract, macular degeneration, glaucoma and diabetic retinopathy were the most common causes for MSVI in 1990 and 2010. With the increasing size of the older population, there have been relatively small increases in the number of blind (2%), and with MSVI (14%) in Southeast Asia, whereas increases have been greater in Oceania of 14% for blindness and of 31% for MSVI.

Conclusions The prevalence of blindness has reduced significantly from 1990 to 2010, with moderate but non-significant lowering of MSVI. Cataract and uncorrected refractive error are the main causes of vision impairment and blindness; cataract continues as the main cause of blindness, but at lower proportions.

Keywords
  • Global Burden of Disease Study
  • GBD 2010
  • Vision loss
  • Blindness
  • Visual impairment
  • Cataract

https://doi.org/10.1136/bjophthalmol-2013-304050

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