[Epidemiological survey of ocular diseases in K Island, Amami Islands: prevalence of cataract and pterygium].
OBJECTIVE
An epidemiological survey of ocular disease was performed in a town of the Amami Islands in southwestern Japan.


OBJECTIVE
A total of 339 participants over 40 years joined the survey. Among the 339 participants, the lens findings of 602 eyes of 301 subjects were analyzed.


RESULTS
The prevalence of lens opacification was 32.0, 54.0, 83.1, 96.9% and 100% among subjects in their 40, 50, 60, 70 s, and over 80 years. Lens opacification over grade II was 4.0, 12.7, 26.2, 60.0% and 83.3%. The cataract type most frequently seen was cortical (96.1%), followed by 48.5% with nuclear opacity and 14.7% with subcapsular type. A high prevalence was seen of pterygium at 25.4%. Although the prevalence of lens opacification was higher in the group with pterygium in their 70 s, no significant difference was noticed in persons in their 40, 50, 60 s, and over 80 years old between the pterygium and non-pterygium groups.


CONCLUSIONS
Similarly to the results of a previous survey in Okinawa, Noto, and Hokkaido, the main type of lens opacification was cortical in Amami. The prevalence of nuclear opacification and pterygium was higher than in Noto and Hokkaido, and close to that seen in Okinawa.
Sasaki
H
H
Department of Ophthalmology, Kanazawa Medical University, Ishikawa, Japan.
Asano
K
K
Kojima
M
M
Sakamoto
Y
Y
Kasuga
T
T
Nagata
M
M
Takahashi
N
N
Sasaki
K
K
Ono
M
M
Katoh
N
N
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002386:Cataract / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D011625:Pterygium / Q000453:epidemiology*