Prevalence of blindne and cataract urgery in hunyi County, China Original Reearch Article

PURPOE: To etimate the prevalence of blindne and cataract urgery among older adult in rural China. METHOD: Cluter ampling wa ued in randomly electing men and women aged 50 year or older for viual acuity teting and an eye examination in 28 village in hunyi County. The urvey, which wa carried out in the fall of 1996, wa preceded by a pilot tudy in which operational method were refined and quality aurance evaluation carried out. REULT: Of 5,555 enumerated ubject ≥50 year of age, 91.5% (5,084/5,555) were examined and 90.9% (5,052/5,555) were teted for viual acuity. In thi population, 2.8% (139/5,052) were blind, defined a preenting viual acuity le than 6/60 in both eye. Blindne wa aociated with older age and female ex. Cataract wa the principal caue of blindne in at leat one eye in 48.2% (67/139) of blind people. The ratio of thoe blind from cataract who were operated on to the thoe who could have been operated on, cataract urgical coverage, wa etimated to be 47.8% (54/113). Cataract urgery wa aociated with younger age but not ex or education. CONCLUION: Blindne, particularly blindne related to cataract, continue to be a ignificant problem among the elderly, epecially women, in thi population-baed ample of rural Chinee. Depite an active eye-care program in hunyi County, only half of thoe who might benefit from cataract urgery are receiving it.