Background: To describe the prevalence and causes of visual impairment and blindness in North Africa and the Middle East (NAME) in 1990 and 2010. Methods: Based on a systematic review of medical literature, we examined prevalence and causes of moderate and severe vision impairment (MSVI; presenting visual acuity <6/18, =3/60) and blindness ( presenting visual acuity <3/60). Results: In NAME, the age-standardised prevalence of blindness decreased from 2.1% to 1.1% and MSVI from 7.1% to 4.5%. In 2010, 3.119 million people were blind, and 13.700 million had MSVI. Women were generally more often affected than men. Main causes of blindness were cataract, uncorrected refractive error, macular degeneration and glaucoma. Main causes of MSVI were cataract and uncorrected refractive errors. Proportions of blindness and MSVI from trachoma significantly decreased. Conclusions Although the absolute numbers of people with blindness and MSVI increased from 1990 to 2010, the overall age-standardised prevalence of blindness and MSVI among all ages and among those aged 50 years and older decreased significantly ( p<0.05). Cataract and uncorrected refractive error were the major causes of blindness and MSVI.

Prevalence and causes of vision loss in North Africa and the Middle East: 1990-2010 / Khairallah, Moncef; Kahloun, Rim; Flaxman, Seth R.; Jonas, Jost B.; Keeffe, Jill; Leasher, Janet; Naidoo, Kovin; Pesudovs, Konrad; Price, Holly; White, Richard A.; Wong, Tien Yin; Resnikoff, Serge; Taylor, Hugh R.; Bourne, Rupert R; Global Burden of Disease, Experts; Battaglia Parodi, M. - In: BRITISH JOURNAL OF OPHTHALMOLOGY. - ISSN 0007-1161. - 98:5(2014), pp. 605-611. [10.1136/bjophthalmol-2013-304068]

Prevalence and causes of vision loss in North Africa and the Middle East: 1990-2010

Battaglia Parodi, M
Membro del Collaboration Group
2014-01-01

Abstract

Background: To describe the prevalence and causes of visual impairment and blindness in North Africa and the Middle East (NAME) in 1990 and 2010. Methods: Based on a systematic review of medical literature, we examined prevalence and causes of moderate and severe vision impairment (MSVI; presenting visual acuity <6/18, =3/60) and blindness ( presenting visual acuity <3/60). Results: In NAME, the age-standardised prevalence of blindness decreased from 2.1% to 1.1% and MSVI from 7.1% to 4.5%. In 2010, 3.119 million people were blind, and 13.700 million had MSVI. Women were generally more often affected than men. Main causes of blindness were cataract, uncorrected refractive error, macular degeneration and glaucoma. Main causes of MSVI were cataract and uncorrected refractive errors. Proportions of blindness and MSVI from trachoma significantly decreased. Conclusions Although the absolute numbers of people with blindness and MSVI increased from 1990 to 2010, the overall age-standardised prevalence of blindness and MSVI among all ages and among those aged 50 years and older decreased significantly ( p<0.05). Cataract and uncorrected refractive error were the major causes of blindness and MSVI.
2014
Epidemiology; Public health; Africa, Northern; African Continental Ancestry Group; Arabs; Blindness; Eye Diseases; Humans; Middle East; Prevalence; Ophthalmology; Sensory Systems; Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience
File in questo prodotto:
Non ci sono file associati a questo prodotto.

I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.

Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11768/80298
Citazioni
  • ???jsp.display-item.citation.pmc??? ND
  • Scopus 40
  • ???jsp.display-item.citation.isi??? 36
social impact