Original Article

Age and Sex Standardized Prevalence of Corneal Opacity and Its Determinants: Tehran Geriatric Eye Study (TGES)

Abstract

Background: We aimed to determine the age and sex standardized prevalence of corneal opacity and its determinants

Methods: The Tehran Geriatric Eye Study (TGES) is a population-based cross-sectional study conducted on 3791 subjects aged above 60 yr in Tehran, Iran (2019) selected using stratified random cluster sampling. After sampling, all subjects underwent complete ophthalmic, optometric, and eye examinations.

Results: The 3310 participated in the study, of whom the data of 3284 were analyzed. The age and sex standardized prevalence with 95% confidence interval (CI) of corneal opacity in at least one eye, both eyes, and one eye was 9.58% (95% CI: 8.50 to 10.79), 5.52% (95% CI: 4.71 to 6.45), and 4.07% (95% CI: 3.35 to 4.94), respectively. The mean uncorrected visual acuity (UCVA) and best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) according to LogMar were worse in subjects with corneal opacity (both P<0.001). According to multiple logistic regression analysis, male sex (OR: 1.98; P: 0.003), age>80 yr (OR: 2.05; P: 0.004), and lack of insurance coverage (OR: 1.87; P: 0.004) increased the odds and high school education (OR: 0.68; P: 0.003) reduced the odds of corneal opacity. Among the study variables, sex was the most important determinant of corneal opacity (standardized beta: 0.126).

Conclusion: This study found a high prevalence of corneal opacity in the geriatric population. Considering the increasing trend of population aging in Iran, attention should be paid to prioritizing public health policies to estimate resources required for providing comprehensive corneal services and improving geriatric eye health.

1. Dumont TM, Kan P, Snyder KV, et al (2015). A proposed grading system for endovascular treatment of cerebral arteriovenous malformations: Buffalo score. Surg Neurol Int, 6:3.
2. Flaxman SR, Bourne RRA, Resnikoff S, et al (2017). Global causes of blindness and distance vision impairment 1990-2020: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Lancet Glob Health, 5 (12): e1221-e1234.
3. Bendok BR, Gupta DK, Rahme RJ, et al (2011). Adenosine for temporary flow arrest during intracranial aneurysm surgery: a single-center retrospective review. Neurosurgery, 69 (4): 815-20.
4. Nguyen TN, Chin LS, Souza R, et al (2010). Transvenous embolization of a ruptured cerebral arteriovenous malformation with en-passage arterial supply: initial case report. J Neurointerv Surg, 2 (2): 150-2.
5. Iosif C, Mendes GA, Saleme S, et al (2015). Endovascular transvenous cure for ruptured brain arteriovenous malformations in complex cases with high Spetzler-Martin grades. J Neurosurg, 122 (5): 1229-38.
6. Oliva MS, Schottman T, Gulati M (2012). Turning the tide of corneal blindness. Indian J Ophthalmol, 60 (5): 423-7.
7. Gilbert C (1993). Childhood Blindness: Major causes and strategies for prevention. Community Eye Health, (11): 3-6.
8. Bowman RJ, Faal H, Dolin P, et al (2002). Non-trachomatous corneal opacities in the Gambia--aetiology and visual burden. Eye (Lond), 16 (1): 27-32.
9. Ashaye A, Oluleye T (2004). Pattern of corneal opacity in Ibadan, Nigeria. Ann Afr Med, 3 (4): 185-87.
10. Chang KC, Kwon JW, Han YK, et al (2010). The epidemiology of cosmetic treatments for corneal opacities in a Korean population. Korean J Ophthalmol, 24 (3): 148-154.
11. Whitcher JP, Srinivasan M, Upadhyay MP (2001). Corneal blindness: a global perspective. Bull World Health Organ, 79 (3): 214-21.
12. Haq I, Khan Z, Khalique N, et al (2009). Prevalence of common ocular morbidities in adult population of aligarh. Indian J Community Med, 34 (3): 195-201.
13. Singh MM, Murthy GV, Venkatraman R, et al (1997). A study of ocular morbidity among elderly population in a rural area of central India. Indian J Ophthalmol, 45 (1): 61-5.
14. Gupta N, Vashist P, Tandon R, et al (2015). Prevalence of corneal diseases in the rural Indian population: the Corneal Opacity Rural Epidemiological (CORE) study. Br J Ophthalmol, 99 (2): 147-52.
15. Fotouhi A, Hashemi H, Mohammad K, et al (2004). The prevalence and causes of visual impairment in Tehran: the Tehran Eye Study. Br J Ophthalmol, 88 (6): 740-5.
16. Hashemi H, Khabazkhoob M, Emamian MH, et al (2012). Visual impairment in the 40- to 64-year-old population of Shahroud, Iran. Eye (Lond), 26 (8): 1071-7.
17. Hashemi H, Rezvan F, Yekta A, et al (2015). The Prevalence and Causes of Visaual Impairment and Blindness in a Rural Population in the North of Iran. Iran J Public Health, 44 (6): 855-864.
18. Hashemi H, Khabazkhoob M, Emamian MH, et al (2015). The frequency of occurrence of certain corneal conditions by age and sex in Iranian adults. Cont Lens Anterior Eye, 38 (6): 451-5.
19. Hashemi H, Pakzad R, Yekta A, et al (2018). The Prevalence of Corneal Opacity in Rural Areas in Iran: A Population-based Study. Ophthalmic Epidemiol, 25 (1): 21-26.
20. Durkin SR, Casson RJ, Newland HS, et al (2007). Prevalence of trachoma-related trichiasis and corneal opacity in rural Myanmar: the Meiktila Eye Study. Ophthalmology, 114 (5): e7-11.
21. Sloan FA, Belsky DW, Boly IA (2008). Prevalence of major eye diseases among US Civil War veterans, 1890-1910. Arch Ophthalmol, 126 (2): 246-50.
22. Amano S, Amano Y, Yamagami S, et al (2004). Age-related changes in corneal and ocular higher-order wavefront aberrations. Am J Ophthalmol, 137 (6): 988-92.
23. Gambato C, Longhin E, Catania AG, et al (2015). Aging and corneal layers: an in vivo corneal confocal microscopy study. Graefes Arch Clin Exp Ophthalmol, 253 (2): 267-75.
24. Hashemi H, Pakzad R, Yekta A, et al (2020). Global and regional prevalence of age-related cataract: a comprehensive systematic review and meta-analysis. Eye, 13:1-4.
25. Hashemi H, Pakzad R, Yekta A, et al (2018). Global and regional estimates of prevalence of amblyopia: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Strabismus, 26(4):168-183.
26. Hashemi H, Pakzad R, Heydarian S, et al (2019). Global and regional prevalence of strabismus: a comprehensive systematic review and meta-analysis. Strabismus. 27(2):54-65.
27. Hashemi H, Pakzad R, Ali B, et al (2018). Prevalence of refractive errors in Iranian university students in Kazerun. J Curr Ophthalmol, 32(1): 75–81.
28. Yekta R, Hashemi H, Pakzad R, et al (2019). Visual impairment and some of ocular problem in nursing home residents. Br J Vis Impair, 37(3):194-204.
29. Hashemi H, Khabazkhoob M, Emamian MH, et al (2015). Past History of Ocular Trauma in an Iranian Population-Based Study: Prevalence and its Associated Factors. Middle East Afr J Ophthalmol, 22 (3): 377-82.
30. Li Z, Cui H, Zhang L, et al (2009). Prevalence of and associated factors for corneal blindness in a rural adult population (the southern Harbin eye study). Curr Eye Res, 34 (8): 646-51.
Files
IssueVol 51 No 3 (2022) QRcode
SectionOriginal Article(s)
DOI https://doi.org/10.18502/ijph.v51i3.8941
Keywords
Corneal opacity Prevalence Age-sex-standardized Geriatric
Rights and permissions
Creative Commons License This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
How to Cite
1.
Hashemi H, Pakzad R, Aghamirsalim M, Yekta A, Sadoughi MM, Norouzikhiabani N, Jafarzadehpour A, Esmaieli R, Khabazkhoob M. Age and Sex Standardized Prevalence of Corneal Opacity and Its Determinants: Tehran Geriatric Eye Study (TGES). Iran J Public Health. 2022;51(3):643-651.