Self-reported visual difficulties in Europe and related factors

Abstract

Purpose :
Data on population-based self-reported vision problems are missing in European countries.
The aim of the study was to investigate Self-reported vision problems in a European population-based survey.

Methods :
Cross-sectional demographic and socio-economic data were extracted from a standardized questionnaire applied to non institutionalized individuals aged 15 years or more in 28 European countries, in addition to Iceland and Norway.

Results :
311,386 individuals (54.18% women) were included in the survey. The overall prevalence of self-reported vision problems was 2.07% [2.01 - 2.14]. Among them, 1.58% [1.49 – 1.66] of men, 2.54% [2.44 – 2.64] of women and 4.71% [4.53 - 4.89] of individuals aged 60 or more declared to have a lot of vision problems or to be not able to see. Limiting long-standing illness, depression, social isolation, lack of physical activity, lower educational level and daily smocking were associated in multivariate analyses with self-reported vision problems with Ors of 2.66 [2.42 - 2.92], 2.16 [2.01 – 2.32], 1.45 [1.26 - 1.67], 1.31 [1.21 - 1.42], 1.29 [1.19 - 1.40] and 1.11 [1.01 - 1.23] respectively, while higher income was associated with less self-reported vision problems with OR of 0.80 [0.73 - 0.86].

Conclusions :
This study demonstrated inequalities in terms of prevalence of self-reported vision problems in Europe, with higher prevalence in Eastern European countries and among women and older individuals.

This is a 2020 ARVO Annual Meeting abstract.