A Comprehensive Study on the Prevalence and Determinants of Vision Impairment in the Turkish Population Prevalence and Determinants of Vision Impairment in Turkey
Article Sidebar
Main Article Content
Abstract
Objective: Vision impairment and eye diseases significantly affect quality of life and present a substantial public health challenge. According to the TUIK and the World Health Organization, a significant portion of the population suffers from preventable or unaddressed visual impairments. Understanding the prevalence, causes, and demographic distribution of these impairments can aid in formulating effective public health strategies. To analyze the prevalence, determinants, and demographic characteristics of individuals with vision impairment in Turkey, using data provided by TUIK. This proposal aims to utilize existing data to provide valuable insights into the public health issue of vision impairment in Turkey and to foster improved outcomes through targeted intervention strategies.
Methods: Secure access to TUIK health survey data focusing on vision impairment in the population aged 0–65 years. We collected additional variables that may influence vision health, such as socioeconomic status, access to healthcare, educational level, and urban versus rural residence. We conducted a cross-sectional study using TUIK data from 2019 onwards, including demographic variables (age, sex, education, and income), and correlated them with the incidence and type of vision impairment.
Results: Visual impairment affects approximately 1039000 individuals in Turkey, with a prevalence rate of 1.4%. There was a pronounced increase in visual impairment with age, peaking at 46.5% in those aged > 75 years. Females exhibited higher rates of impairment in most age groups. The most common causes of visual impairment include uncorrected refractive errors in children and young adults, glaucoma in adults aged 15-50, and age-related macular degeneration and diabetic retinopathy in those aged > 50 years.
Conclusion: This study highlights a significant age and sex disparity in the prevalence of visual impairment in Turkey, necessitating age-specific and gender-responsive public health strategies. Prioritizing early screening, access to corrective measures, and managing age-related ocular diseases can address the increasing burden of visual impairment. Interventions should be tailored to mitigate risks and provide equitable healthcare access to improve visual health outcomes in the Turkish population.
Downloads
Article Details
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
Accepted 2023-11-14
Published 2023-11-21
References
Ulldemolins AR, Lansingh VC, Valencia LG, Carter MJ, Eckert KA. Social inequalities in blindness and visual impairment: a review of social determinants. Indian Journal of Ophthalmology. 2012;60(5):368.
Bourne RR, Flaxman SR, Braithwaite T, Cicinelli MV, Das A, Jonas JB, et al. Magnitude, temporal trends, and projections of the global prevalence of blindness and distance and near vision impairment: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Lancet Global Health. 2017;5(9):e888-e97.
He M, Abdou A, Ellwein LB, Naidoo KS, Sapkota YD, Thulasiraj R, et al. Age-related prevalence and met need for correctable and uncorrectable near-vision impairment in a multi-country study. Ophthalmology. 2014;121(1):417-22.
Jimenez-Corona A, Jimenez-Corona ME, Ponce-de-Leon S, Chavez-Rodriguez M, Graue-Hernandez EO. Social determinants and their impact on visual impairment in Southern Mexico. Ophthalmic Epidemiology. 2015;22(5):342-8.
SUBAŞIOĞLU F, FENGE ZZA. Dünyada ve Türkiye'de görme engellilik: Zaman çizelgesi. Ankara Üniversitesi Dil ve Tarih-Coğrafya Fakültesi Dergisi. 2019;59(1):595-645.
Arslan Y, Şahin HM, Gülnar U, Şahbudak M. Görme engellilerin toplumsal hayatta yaşadıkları zorluklar (Batman Merkez Örneği). Batman Üniversitesi Yaşam Bilimleri Dergisi. 2014;4(2):1-14.
https://aile.gov.tr/media/135432/eyhgm_istatistik_bulteni_nisan_23.pdf.
https://www.eiu.com/n/campaigns/healthcare-in-2024
https://www.worldometers.info/world-population/.
https://www.aile.gov.tr/media/98625/eyhgm_istatistik_bulteni_ocak_2022.pdf.
Stevens GA, White RA, Flaxman SR, Price H, Jonas JB, Keeffe J, et al. Global prevalence of vision impairment and blindness: magnitude and temporal trends. 1990–2010. Ophthalmology. 2013;120(12):2377-84.
Steinmetz JD, Bourne RR, Briant PS, Flaxman SR, Taylor HR, Jonas JB, et al. Causes of blindness and vision impairment in 2020, trends over 30 years, and prevalence of avoidable blindness in relation to VISION 2020: The Right to Sight: An Analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study. Lancet Global Health. 2021;9(2):e144-e60.
Gogate P, Gilbert C, Zin A. Severe visual impairment and blindness in infants: Causes and opportunities for control. Middle East African Journal of Ophthalmology. 2011;18(2):109.
Keeffe J. Childhood vision impairment. BMJ Publishing Group Ltd., 2004. p. 728-9.
Solebo AL, Teoh L, Rahi J. Epidemiology of blindness in children. Archives of disease in childhood. 2017;102(9):853-7.
Hashemi H, Khabazkhoob M, Rezvan F, Yekta A. Prevalence and causes of visual impairment and blindness in elderly population; an urgent geriatric health issue: Tehran Geriatric Eye Study (TGES). Ophthalmic Epidemiology. 2023;30(3):249-59.
Horowitz A. Prevalence and consequences of vision impairment later in life. Topics of Geriatric Rehabilitation. 2004;20(3):185-95.
Kalinowski MA. “Eye” dentifying vision impairment in the geriatric patient. Geriatric Nursing. 2008;29(2):125-32.
Ekpenyong BN, Ekanem E, Naidoo K, et al.. Prevalence and determinants of visual impairment in school-aged children in Southern Nigeria. African Vision and Eye Health. 2020;79(1):1-6.
Khandekar R, Al Riyami A, Attiya M, Morsi M. Prevalence and determinants of blindness, low vision, deafness and major bone fractures among elderly Omani population of Nizwa Wilayat (Nizwa elderly population study–2005). Indian Journal of Ophthalmology. 2010;58(4):313.