Background: The magnitude of blindness is unevenly distributed worldwide. This systematic review aimed to study gender differences in the prevalence of blindness, cataract blindness and cataract surgical coverage in India among persons aged 50 years and above.

Methods: Literature search was carried out in the Medline, Web of Science, Google Scholar, EMBASE and Trip databases. Data were abstracted and risk of bias was assessed for the selected full-text articles. Pooled prevalence, ORs and risk differences were synthesised by meta-analyses.

Results: 22 studies were included in the systematic review. The pooled prevalence of blindness obtained for men was 4.17% and that for women was 5.68%. Women had 35% higher odds of being blind (OR 1.35, 95% CI 1.08 to 1.62) and 69% higher odds of being cataract blind (OR 1.69, 95% CI 1.44 to 1.95). Women had a 27% lower odds of getting cataract surgery (OR 0.73, 95% CI 0.45 to 1.01). In women, around 35% of the prevalence of blindness and 33% of the prevalence of cataract blindness are attributable to their gender.

Conclusion: Marked gender differences in blindness, cataract blindness and cataract surgical coverage were seen in India, with the odds being unfavourable for women. Interventions implemented for reduction of blindness, including cataract blindness, need to consider these gender differentials in the Indian context. Further research is needed to ascertain the reasons for these differences and devise interventions to reduce these differences in order to tackle the magnitude of avoidable blindness in India.

Download full-text PDF

Source
http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/bjophthalmol-2018-313562DOI Listing

Publication Analysis

Top Keywords

blindness cataract
24
cataract blindness
20
blindness
13
gender differences
12
cataract surgical
12
surgical coverage
12
coverage india
12
systematic review
12
prevalence blindness
12
cataract
10

Similar Publications

Background: Orbital bullet injuries resulting from high-velocity trauma pose significant clinical challenges due to the potential for severe ocular and systemic complications. This meta-analysis consolidates the existing body of knowledge on direct orbital bullet injuries with respect to clinical outcomes, management strategies, and long-term effects.

Methods: The literature search was conducted by the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses, using databases such as PubMed and Scopus.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Introduction Cataracts are the leading cause of blindness worldwide, with a notably high incidence rate. Endophthalmitis is the most severe complication following cataract surgery , often resulting in profound vision loss. This study evaluates the impact of risk factors such as age, sex, diabetes mellitus (DM), hypertension, posterior capsule rupture (PCR), type of surgery, and use of intraocular lens (IOL) material on the risk of endophthalmitis after cataract surgery.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

-spectrum disorders are caused by a mutation in the gene. The term includes a wide range of rare disorders, from the most severe Wolfram syndrome with autosomal recessive inheritance to milder clinical manifestations with a single causative variant in the gene, such as Wolfram-like syndrome, low-frequency sensorineural hearing loss (LFSNHL), isolated diabetes mellitus (DM), nonsyndromic optic atrophy (OA), and isolated congenital cataracts. The aim of this study was to evaluate genotype-phenotype correlations in Polish patients with -spectrum disorders.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Comorbidity and its association with age are of great interest in geroscience. However, there are few model organisms that are well-suited to study comorbidities that will have high relevance to humans. In this light, we turn our attention to the companion dog.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

A comprehensive investigation of identifying miRNA biomarkers and their potential role in age-related cataract by meta-analysis and bioinformatics analysis.

Graefes Arch Clin Exp Ophthalmol

January 2025

Shaanxi Eye Hospital, Xi'an People's Hospital (Xi'an Fourth Hospital), Affiliated People's Hospital of Northwest University, No. 21 Jiefang Road, Xi'an, Shaanxi Province, 710004, China.

Article Synopsis
  • Age-related cataract (ARC) is a major cause of blindness, and while surgery is effective, access to care is often limited, necessitating the search for new biomarkers and treatment targets.
  • Recent findings suggest that microRNAs (miRNAs) could play a crucial role in the development of ARC and may serve as valuable biomarkers.
  • This study identified eight specific miRNAs with altered expression in ARC and explored their potential roles and interactions through bioinformatics, laying the groundwork for further research on their clinical applications.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Want AI Summaries of new PubMed Abstracts delivered to your In-box?

Enter search terms and have AI summaries delivered each week - change queries or unsubscribe any time!