Prevalence of blindness and low vision in a rural population in northern China: preliminary results from a population-based survey.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the prevalence of visual impairment in a rural northern Chinese population.


METHODS
A cross-sectional, population-based survey was conducted in 2010 in Ci County, Hebei Province in northern China. Residents aged 7 years and older in Lucunying Town, located within Ci County, underwent presenting visual acuity (VA) testing at home; those with presenting VA <20/60 were invited to participate in further examination at the local hospital. Population-weighted prevalences of blindness and low vision were determined according to World Health Organization definitions.


RESULTS
Among the 24,539 residents aged older than 7 years, 20,298 (82.7%) participated in the study, and 20,072 (98.9%) of these had valid VA data. The population-weighted prevalence rates of presenting bilateral blindness and bilateral low vision were 0.3% and 2.4% for the entire population, 0% and 0.5% for residents 7-39 years of age, and 0.8% and 6.4% for residents 40 years and older, respectively. Based on best-corrected VA, the corresponding prevalence rates of bilateral blindness and bilateral low vision were 0.2% and 1.4% for the entire population, 0% and 0.1% for residents 7-39 years, and 0.6% and 4.0% for residents 40 years and older, respectively. Prevalence rates of blindness and low vision were generally higher among women than men. Blindness and low vision increased with age among residents 40 years and older.


CONCLUSIONS
Our findings highlight the need for eye healthcare services for visual impairment in rural China.
Beijing Best-Vision Eye Clinic, Beijing, China.
Xuefei
X
Li
Qiang
Q
Zhou
Lanping
L
Sun
Zhengang
Z
Wang
Song
S
Han
Shaowei
S
Wu
Ningli
N
Wang
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001766:Blindness / Q000453:epidemiology*; D002648:Child; D002681:China / Q000453:epidemiology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D012424:Rural Population / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D017678:Sex Distribution; D015354:Vision, Low / Q000453:epidemiology*; D014792:Visual Acuity; D019987:Persons with Visual Disabilities / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D055815:Young Adult