Gender differences in adult blindness and low vision, Central Ethiopia.

BACKGROUND

Blindness is a major global public health concern. Approximately 50 million people are blind, three times that number is visually impaired; 90% of whom live in poor countries. Women account for 65% of blind people in the world.

OBJECTIVE

To assess gender differences in prevalence rates and causes of low vision and blindness.

DESIGN

Population-based cross-sectional survey.

PARTICIPANTS

Gurage Zone; Ethiopian adults 40 years old and above. (n = 1100).

METHODS

Equal number of women and men 40 years-old and above in the Gurage Zone, Ethiopia, were selected using a multistage sampling method.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Bilateral low vision was defined as presenting Visual Acuity (VA) worse than 6/18 and better than 3/60, and bilateral blindness as presenting VA worse than 3/60 in the better eye.

RESULTS

The prevalence rates were 10.9% for bilateral low vision and 3.5% for bilateral blindness. Women comprised 59.0% of blindness, and 70.0% of low vision. The difference in gender distribution and low vision was statistically significant in all age groups. Women had 1.46 excess risk of bilateral blindness. The rates of bilateral low vision and blindness increased with age. Cataract is a leading cause of bilateral low vision (66.7%) and blindness (59.0%). Glaucoma is the second cause of blindness. Uncorrected refractive errors are the second cause of low vision (23.3%). Trachoma is the third cause of low vision and blindness.

CONCLUSION

The age- and gender-adjusted rates of low vision and blindness is very high in general and in women in particular. Cataract is a leading cause of blindness and low vision in Ethiopian adults. It is recommended that gender sensitive prevention and intervention program of avoidable blindness needs to be an ongoing focus in the study area.