Prevalence and Causes of Visual Impairment and Blindness in Shanxi Province, China

Abstract

Purpose: To estimate the prevalence and causes of visual impairment and blindness in Shanxi Province, China.

Methods: Data were obtained from the Second National Sampling Survey of Disability conducted in 2006. Blindness and visual impairment were defined as best corrected visual acuity <3/60 and <6/18, respectively, in the better-seeing eye. Standardized ophthalmologic examinations were administered to participants aged 0–80 years in 2006. Visual acuity (VA) was measured using a Standard Logarithmic Visual Acuity E chart (Snellen) for subjects aged 7 years and older. Participants younger than 7 years were examined using special experiments or the Childhood Graphical Visual Chart.

Results: The prevalence of visual impairment and blindness in Shanxi was estimated to be 0.6% (466/75,016) among persons up to 80 years old. The prevalence in rural areas (0.7%; 351/48,137) was significantly higher than that in urban areas (0.4%; 115/26,879) and was higher in females (0.8%; 298/36,933) than in males (0.4%; 168/38,083). The most common cause of visual impairment and blindness was cataract (44.9%), followed by retinopathy and choroidopathy (12.5%), hereditary and developmental disorders (10.3%), corneal disease (5.2%), and refractive error (4.9%).

Conclusion: Prevalences of visual impairment and blindness in women and in rural areas were higher than in men and urban areas, and increased with age. Cataract was the most prevalent cause of visual impairment and blindness. Based on the findings from this study, we suggest that provision of support and welfare services should be organized.

• Blindness
• causes
• China
• prevalence
• Shanxi Province
• visual impairment

Acknowledgments

The authors acknowledge Professors Lixia Qiu and Xiaojuan Wu for performing the statistical analysis of the data reported in this study. The authors also thank Professor Ming D. Li of the University of Virginia and Ms. Judith Gunn Bronson, MS, for their editing of this manuscript.

Declaration of interest

The authors report no conflicts of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of the paper.

No financial support was received for this study.