March 2012
Volume 53, Issue 14
Free
ARVO Annual Meeting Abstract  |   March 2012
Prevalence of Functional Low Vision and Need for Annualized Eye Evaluation in Adult Malays and Indians Living in Singapore
Author Affiliations & Notes
  • Yingfeng Zheng
    Singapore Eye Research Institute, Singapore National Eye Centre, Singapore, Singapore
    State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
  • Ching-Yu Cheng
    Singapore Eye Research Institute, Singapore National Eye Centre, Singapore, Singapore
    Department of Ophthalmology, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
  • Ecosse L. Lamoureux, III
    Singapore Eye Research Institute, Singapore National Eye Centre, Singapore, Singapore
    Ophthalmology, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia
  • Peggy P.C. Chiang
    Singapore Eye Research Institute, Singapore National Eye Centre, Singapore, Singapore
    Duke-National University of Singapore Graduate Medical School, Singapore, Singapore
  • Ainur Rahman Anuar
    Singapore Eye Research Institute, Singapore National Eye Centre, Singapore, Singapore
    University of Malaya Eye Research Centre, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
  • Tin Aung
    Singapore Eye Research Institute, Singapore National Eye Centre, Singapore, Singapore
    Department of Ophthalmology, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
  • Seang-Mei Saw
    Singapore Eye Research Institute, Singapore National Eye Centre, Singapore, Singapore
    Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
  • Tien Y. Wong
    Singapore Eye Research Institute, Singapore National Eye Centre, Singapore, Singapore
    Centre for Eye Research Australia, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia
  • Footnotes
    Commercial Relationships  Yingfeng Zheng, None; Ching-Yu Cheng, None; Ecosse L. Lamoureux, III, None; Peggy P.C. Chiang, None; Ainur Rahman Anuar, None; Tin Aung, None; Seang-Mei Saw, None; Tien Y. Wong, None
  • Footnotes
    Support  This study was supported by Biomedical Research Council Grant 08/1/35/19/550 and National Medical Research Council Grant StaR/0003/2008, Singapore.
Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science March 2012, Vol.53, 6938. doi:
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      Yingfeng Zheng, Ching-Yu Cheng, Ecosse L. Lamoureux, III, Peggy P.C. Chiang, Ainur Rahman Anuar, Tin Aung, Seang-Mei Saw, Tien Y. Wong; Prevalence of Functional Low Vision and Need for Annualized Eye Evaluation in Adult Malays and Indians Living in Singapore. Invest. Ophthalmol. Vis. Sci. 2012;53(14):6938.

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      © ARVO (1962-2015); The Authors (2016-present)

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Abstract

Purpose: : The current blindness and visual impairment definitions do not reflect the needs for functional low vision (FLV) service and annual (or more frequent) eye evaluation (AEE) in the general population. We describe the prevalence of, causes of, and needs for FLV and AEE services in adult Indians and Malays living in Singapore.

Methods: : Data were derived from two recent population-based, cross-sectional studies in Malays and Indians aged ≥ 40 years residing in Singapore. Visual impairment (VI) was defined as best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) <6/18. FLV was defined as BCVA <6/18 in the better eye, after excluding those with no light perception in both eyes and those with treatable causes (e.g., cataract). People who need AEE were defined as those who had no VI in both eyes, but had diabetes, glaucoma, were glaucoma suspects (aged ≥65 years, coupled with any glaucoma risk factor such as intraocular pressure >21mmHg or narrow angle), and/or had major retinal diseases (e.g., age-related macular degeneration, retinal vein occlusion).

Results: : Our analyses included 3280 Malays and 3400 Indians (participation rate was 78.7% and 75.6%, respectively). All the participants had light perception in at least one eye. The age-standardized prevalence of bilateral VI, unilateral VI, FLV and those who need AEE was 2.4% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 2.0-3.0%), 5.2% (95% CI: 4.5-6.0%), 0.5% (95% CI: 0.3-0.8%), and 30.1% (95% CI: 28.2-32.1%) in Malays; and 1.4% (95% CI: 1.1-1.9%), 4.8% (95% CI: 4.1-5.6%), 0.5% (95% CI: 0.3-0.9%), and 34.2% (95% CI: 32.1-36.3%) in Indians, respectively. The major cause of bilateral VI, unilateral VI, FLV, and those who need AEE was cataract (Malays: 75.9%; Indians: 60.5%), cataract (Malays: 50.7%; Indians: 50.2%), diabetic retinopathy (Malays: 25.9%; Indians: 30.7%), and diabetes (Malays: 80.1%; Indians: 87.6%), respectively.

Conclusions: : The prevalence of FLV in Malays and Indians living in Singapore were lower than reported from studies in India and Pakistan. However, there is a tremendous need of AEE among urban Malays and Indians, largely driven by the high prevalence of diabetes.

Keywords: low vision 
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