Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science Cover Image for Volume 57, Issue 12
September 2016
Volume 57, Issue 12
Open Access
ARVO Annual Meeting Abstract  |   September 2016
Prevalence and Causes of Visual Impairment and Blindness in an Urban Chinese Population: The Singapore Chinese Eye Study
Author Affiliations & Notes
  • Sing-Hui Lim
    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
  • Yih Chung Tham
    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
  • Yuan Shi
    Singapore Eye Research Institute, Singapore National Eye Centre, Singapore , Singapore
  • Shu tan
    Singapore Eye Research Institute, Singapore National Eye Centre, Singapore , Singapore
  • Ying Feng Zheng
    State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center,Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
  • Seang-Mei Saw
    Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health, National University of Singapore and National University Health System, Singapore, Singapore
    Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore and National University Health System, Singapore, Singapore
  • 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
  • Tien Yin Wong
    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
  • 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
  • Footnotes
    Commercial Relationships   Sing-Hui Lim, None; Yih Chung Tham, None; Yuan Shi, None; Shu tan, None; Ying Feng Zheng , None; Seang-Mei Saw, None; Tin Aung, None; Tien Yin Wong, None; Ching-Yu Cheng, None
  • Footnotes
    Support  This study was supported by the National Medical Research Council and National Research Foundation, Singapore.
Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science September 2016, Vol.57, 1573. doi:
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      Sing-Hui Lim, Yih Chung Tham, Yuan Shi, Shu tan, Ying Feng Zheng, Seang-Mei Saw, Tin Aung, Tien Yin Wong, Ching-Yu Cheng; Prevalence and Causes of Visual Impairment and Blindness in an Urban Chinese Population: The Singapore Chinese Eye Study. Invest. Ophthalmol. Vis. Sci. 2016;57(12):1573.

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

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Abstract

Purpose : To determine the prevalence and causes of blindness and visual impairment in the Singapore Chinese population and compare with a previous population-based study (the Tanjong Pagar Survey) conducted earlier in the 90s.

Methods : In a population-based survey of 4605 eligible individuals living in the southwestern part of Singapore, 3353 Chinese adults 40 years or older (72.8% response rate) participated and underwent comprehensive, standardized examinations which included measurement of presenting visual acuity (PVA) and best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA). Visual impairment (<20/40 to >20/200, better eye) and blindness (≤ 20/200, better eye) were defined according to US definition. Singapore Census of Population 2010 was used to calculate age-standardized prevalence. Primary causes and factors associated with visual impairment and blindness were also determined.

Results : Based on PVA, the age-standardized prevalence was 17.7% for visual impairment and 0.6% for blindness. Based on BCVA, the age-standardized prevalence was 3.4% for visual impairment and 0.2% for blindness. These rates were slightly lower than the Tanjong Pagar Survey (3.8% and 0.3% for visual impairment and blindness respectively based on BCVA), but the difference was not statistically significant. Cataract was the principal cause of best-corrected blindness (50.0%) and best-corrected visual impairment (69.8%), followed by age-related macular degeneration (25.0%, 0.9%) and diabetic retinopathy (12.5%, 3.4%). In the Tanjong Pagar Survey, while cataract was the leading cause of low vision (58.8%), glaucoma was the main cause of blindness (60.0%), followed by cataract (20.0%) and age related macular degeneration (20.0%). Factors associated with visual impairment in this study included older age (P<0.001, odds ratio (OR) 2.25, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.94 to 2.61), lower income (P<0.001, OR 2.49, 95% CI 1.53 to 4.06), lower education (P<0.001, OR 2.81, 95% CI 1.84 to 4.27), and smaller housing (P=0.003, OR 2.25, 95% CI 1.43 to 5.55).

Conclusions : Although the prevalence of visual impairment and blindness in Chinese residing in Singapore was low, the estimates were similar to those from a previous study in Singapore conducted in the 1990s. Cataract is the current leading cause of blindness. This suggests the need for prioritizing eye care surgical services to reduce blindness in the community.

This is an abstract that was submitted for the 2016 ARVO Annual Meeting, held in Seattle, Wash., May 1-5, 2016.

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