Binocular vision disorders in a geriatric population

ABSTRACT

Clinical relevance

A population-based epidemiological survey is important to help establish the frequency of binocular vision disorders in a geriatric population. Such data will be useful to clinicians and help guide diagnostic testing for this age group.

Background

To determine the prevalence of binocular vision disorders and their associations with age and sex in the geriatric population.

Methods

This report is a part of the Tehran Geriatric Eye study (TGES); a population-based cross-sectional study conducted on residents over 60 years of age in Tehran, Iran, using random stratified cluster sampling. A total of 165 clusters were selected (proportionally to size) from 22 strata of Tehran city. All participants underwent a complete ocular examination including the measurement of visual acuity, refraction, unilateral and alternating cover tests, and the Worth 4-dot suppression test. Strabismus was defined as the presence of constant unilateral or alternating esotropia or exotropia at either near (40 cm) or far (6 m). Distance and near exophoria were defined as more than 3^Δ and 9^Δ of exophoria at 6 m and 40 cm, respectively. Distance and near esophoria were defined as more than 1^Δ and any amount of esophoria at 6 m and 40 cm, respectively.

Results

Statistical analysis was performed on the data of 2,227 participants. The mean age of the participants was 66.6 ± 5.4 years and 59.4% were female. The prevalence of distance exophoria, esophoria, and hyperphoria was 8.9%, 0.34%, and 0.29%, respectively. The prevalence of near exophoria, esophoria, and hyperphoria was 32.4%, 0.61%, and 0.37%, respectively. The prevalence of distance exotropia and esotropia was 1.3% and 0.63%, respectively. The prevalence of near exotropia and esotropia was 4.6% and 0.59%, respectively.

Conclusion

Non-strabismic binocular vision disorders were prevalent in an elderly population. Exo deviations were more prevalent than eso deviations.

KEYWORDS:

• Binocular disorders
• geriatric
• heterophoria
• Population-based study
• strabismus
• suppression

Acknowledgements

This project was supported by National Institute for Medical Research Development(NIMAD) affiliated with the Iranian Ministry of Health and Medical Education (grant code: 963660).

Disclosure of potential conflicts of interest

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).