HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Submit a response Alert me when this article is cited Alert me when eLetters are posted Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in ISI Web of Science Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Kuang, T.-M. Articles by Chou, P. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Kuang, T.-M. Articles by Chou, P.

Correctable Visual Impairment in an Elderly Chinese Population in Taiwan: The Shihpai Eye Study

¹From the Department of Ophthalmology, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan; the ²Department of Ophthalmology and the ³Community Medicine Research Center and Institute of Public Health, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan; ⁴Department of Health Management, I-Shou University, Kaoshung, Taiwan; ⁵Department of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland; and the ⁶Chen-Hsin Medical Center, Taipei, Taiwan.

PURPOSE. To investigate the prevalence and risk factors of correctable visual impairment and the quality of life of persons with correctable visual impairment in a metropolitan senior population.

METHODS. The study was a community-based, cross-sectional survey of vision and eye diseases among noninstitutionalized subjects aged 65 years and older in the Shihpai community of Taipei, Taiwan. The study consisted of a structured questionnaire followed by a comprehensive standardized ophthalmic examination included presenting and best corrected visual acuity, tonometry, slit lamp biomicroscopy, and direct and indirect ophthalmoscopy.

RESULTS. A total of 1361 subjects (response rate, 66.6%) participated in both completion of the questionnaire and ophthalmic examination. The prevalence of correctable visual impairment (presenting visual acuity in the better eye <6/12 that improved to no impairment [6/12] after refractive correction) was 9.55% (95% confidence interval [CI], 7.97%–11.13%). Under multiple logistic regression analysis, older age (75 years; odds ratio [OR], 2.41; 95% CI, 1.56–3.70) and nonemmetropic eyes (myopia; OR, 6.80; 95% CI, 3.77–12.77 vs. hyperopia; OR, 2.13; 95% CI, 1.29–3.51) were significantly related to correctable visual impairment. A higher level of education (OR, 0.52; 95% CI, 0.32–0.83) and wearing distance eyeglasses during the eye examination (OR, 0.23; 95% CI, 0.12–0.43) were protective factors for correctable visual impairment. Subjects with correctable visual impairment scored significantly lower in the physical functioning dimension of the SF-36 questionnaire (P < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS. The results demonstrate that approximately 10% of the senior population in the Shihpai district has a correctable visual impairment. Thus, it is important to educate the public about the importance of regular examination and the possibility of improving visual acuity by wearing glasses.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				J Maki, S Kusakul, K Morley, T Sanguansak, J Seddon, L Hartung, and M Morley The effect of glasses on visual function following cataract surgery in a cataract camp Br. J. Ophthalmol., July 1, 2008; 92(7): 883 - 887. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]