Posters

Presbyopia in a low income population of Mexico

Poster Details

First Author: I.Signes-Soler SPAIN

Co Author(s):    S. Tablada   M. Murillo   E. Tomas              

Abstract Details

Purpose:

Presbyopia is the age-related decline in accommodation that diminishes the ability of the eye to focus on near objects and is easy to correct; however, many communities lack access to basic eye care or the resources to pay for it. The purpose of this study was to assess the burden of uncorrected presbyopia in a low income area on the outskirts of Cancun in Quintana Roo (México).

Setting:

Quintana Roo (México)

Methods:

Individuals 40 years of age and older who presented to a health outreach in Quintana Roo were invited to undergo a complete vision exam to detect the presence of functional presbyopia and be fitted with ready-made, single-vision or bifocal glasses when they needed a long distance correction as well. Subjects underwent distance, pinhole and near visual acuity, autokeratometry, subjective refraction and slip lamp examination.

Results:

A total of 134 subjects with an average age of 51.3±10.1 years were available for examination. Of these, 67.1% were female and 18.6% were ≥60 years of age. Refractive error was present in 17 individuals (12.7%). Presbyopia was present in 85.8% individuals and was corrected in only 10.5% although 62.7% had used glasses but they were broken or out of day. After the correction 64.2% needed an addition higher than +2.00D. Other causes of loss of close distance vision were cataracts with 7.5% (10/134) and pterigium 4.5% (6/134).

Conclusions:

Presbyopia is still not corrected in many countries. Dispensing close distance glasses is a simple and cost-effective intervention to improve near vision. There is an unmet necessity of providing affordable, quality, and accessible near spectacles at the primary health level in low income areas.

Financial Disclosure:

NONE