People with cataract-induced blindness are poorer than those with normal sight
December 16th, 2008 - 3:36 pm ICT by ANIWashington, Dec 16 (ANI): People who have lost their eyesight because of cataract are more likely to live in poverty than those with normal sight, according to a new study.
The study was conducted in three developing countriesKenya, the Philippines, and Bangladesh.
According to figures, blindness affects about 45 million people worldwide, and more than a third is caused by cataract.
While cataract can be treated with an inexpensive, simple operation, some evidence suggests that lack of money is a major barrier to uptake of cataract surgery by individuals in poor countries.
In the new study, Hannah Kuper (International Centre for Eye Health, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine) and colleagues identified 596 people aged 50 years or more with severe cataract-induced visual impairment, mainly through a survey of the population in these three countries.
They matched each case to a normally sighted person (a “control”) of similar age and sex living nearby. Poverty was measured through monthly per capita expenditure (PCE), as well as self-rated wealth and ownership of assets.
It was found that in all three countries, cases were more likely than controls to be in the lowest quarter (quartile) of the range of PCEs for that country.
In the Philippines, for example, people with cataract-induced visual impairment were three times more likely than controls to have a PCE in the lowest quartile than in the highest quartile.
Also, the risk of cataract-related visual impairment increased as PCE decreased in all three countries. Similarly, severe cataract-induced visual impairment was more common in those who owned fewer assets and those with lower self-rated wealth.
However, there was no consistent association between PCE and the level of cataract-induced visual impairment.
“This study confirms an association between poverty and blindness and highlights the need for increased provision of cataract surgery to poor people, particularly since cataract surgery is a highly cost-effective intervention in these settings,” said the authors.
The study is published in the open access international health journal PLoS Medicine. (ANI)
- Two-thirds of world's blind are women: Study - Oct 08, 2009
- Eye problem cases have increased, say doctors - Oct 12, 2011
- UAE group conducts 500 eye surgeries in Somalia - May 20, 2012
- Nine go blind after operation in Andhra - May 27, 2012
- Soy intake lowers breast cancer recurrence in hormone-sensitive cancers - Oct 19, 2010
- Cataract surgery improves mood, sleep in Alzheimer's - Oct 26, 2011
- Yellowing of eye lens behind sleep disorders - Sep 01, 2011
- Warsaw takes training to help blind fans at Euro 2012 - Mar 14, 2012
- Blind use visual brain parts to refine sensation of sound and touch - Oct 07, 2010
- Study suggests it is easier to rewire younger brains - Oct 22, 2010
- Former heavy smokers are at an increased risk of heart failure: Study - Nov 15, 2010
- Chandigarh gets sensory park for visually impaired - Feb 15, 2010
- Cholesterol fighting drug slashes cataract risk in men - Feb 10, 2010
- How blind people can better process sound - Mar 17, 2011
- National Museum opens door to visually-impaired - Feb 28, 2011
Tags: assets, bangladesh, blindness, cataract surgery, colleagues, eye health, eyesight, hannah, kuper, london school of hygiene, london school of hygiene and tropical medicine, pces, per capita, philippines, poor countries, poverty, provision, quartile, three times, visual impairment