Abstract
Purpose :
Few studies have evaluated the prevalence of visual impairment (VI) and associated trends in diabetes and non-diabetes. This study assessed the prevalence of and changes in VI among Canadians with and without diabetes from 1994 to 2014.
Methods :
Data from respondents aged 40+ participating in seven nationwide surveys were analyzed: the National Population Health Survey in 1994/1995 (n=17,626), 1996/1997 (n=81,804) and 1998/1999 (n=17,244) and the Canadian Community Health Survey in 2000/2001 (n=130,880), 2008/2009 (Healthy Aging, n=30,865), 2009/2010 (n=124,188) and 2013/2014 (n=127,462). VI was self-reported as unable to see close or distance when wearing glasses/contact lenses. Diabetes was self-reported. Using the 2016 Canadian population as the standard, the age- and sex-standardized prevalence of VI was calculated. For analyses stratified by levels of education and income, sex-standardized prevalence was calculated.
Results :
In any survey year, the age- and sex-standardized prevalence of VI was about 2 times higher in people with diabetes versus those without (e.g. 2.96% vs 1.57% in 2013/2014). Among people with diabetes, the standardized VI prevalence was 7.11% (95% confidence interval (CI): 6.99%-7.24%) in 1994/1997 and gradually decreased to 2.96% (95% CI: 2.91%-3.01%) in 2013/2014, a 58% reduction over 20 years (standardized prevalence ratio: 0.42 (95% CI: 0.23-0.75) for prevalence in 2013/2014 versus 1994/1997).
Among people without diabetes, the standardized VI prevalence decreased from 3.38% (95% CI: 3.35%-3.40%) in 1994/1997 to 1.57% (95% CI: 1.56%-1.58%) in 2013/2014, a 54% reduction (standardized VI prevalence ratio: 0.46 (95% CI: 0.42-0.52) for prevalence in 2013/2014 versus 1994/1997).
Decreases in sex-standardized VI prevalence were observed among people with and without diabetes from 1994/1997 to 2013/2014 after stratification by education and income levels.
Conclusions :
From 1994 to 2014, VI was roughly 2 times higher in people with diabetes versus those without. For both people with and without diabetes, the standardized VI prevalence decreased in those with high and low levels of education and income. These results likely reflect the effectiveness of the collective efforts by eye care providers, researchers, the public and government.
This is a 2021 ARVO Annual Meeting abstract.