Age-specific changes in the prevalence and management of optically correctable visual impairment between 1988 and 2000: The Ponza Eye Study

Abstract

Purpose: To obtain age-specific data on changes in the prevalence and management of optically correctable visual impairments (OCVIs) in Ponza, Italy. Methods: Ophthalmologic examinations were carried out to 1000 Ponzans aged 40-87 years in 1988 and to 836 persons in 2000. Visual acuity (VA) was evaluated under uncorrected (VAUC), presenting (VAPR), and best-corrected (VABC) conditions. We calculated the prevalence of total OCVIs (subjects with VAUC≤0.5 logMAR and VA BC>0.5 logMAR in the better eye), uncorrected OCVIs (VA PR≤0.5 logMAR), and corrected OCVIs (VAPR>0.5 logMAR) as well as the OCVI correction rate ((corrected OCVI/total OCVI) × 100). Subjects with uncorrected OCVIs were compared to those with corrected OCVIs to evaluate possible associations with some risk factors. Results: Among 52- to 63-year olds there were increases in the prevalence of total OCVI (from 15.7 to 22.7%, P=0.051), corrected OCVI (from 10.9 to 19.9%, P=0.005), and OCVI correction rate (from 69.2 to 87.8%, P=0.045). Among 64- to 75-year olds decreases were observed in the prevalence of total OCVI (from 28.5 to 20.0%, P=0.029) and uncorrected OCVI (from 12.6 to 4.8%, P=0.003) while the OCVI correction rate increased from 55.9 to 76.1% (P=0.033). The overall prevalence of uncorrected OCVIs dropped from 7.5 to 4.1%. In 2000, uncorrected OCVI was associated with limited education, very advanced age, retirement, and refractive error associated with eye diseases. Conclusions: Refractive error management has improved in Ponza since 1988, and these changes may be, in part, due to higher education levels, increased frequency of cataract surgery, and slower progression of cataract-related disability. © 2009 Macmillan Publishers Limited All rights reserved.