Prevalence of cataract and its associated factors among adults aged 40 years and above living in Durame town, Southern Ethiopia, 2023: a community-based cross-sectional study.

Objective: This study aimed to assess the prevalence of cataract and associated factors among adults aged 40 years and above in Durame town, Southern Ethiopia.

Design: A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted using a systematic random sampling method.

Setting: The study was conducted in Durame town, Southern Ethiopia.

Participants: The study included 734 adults aged ≥40 years who lived in Durame town for more than 6 months.

Main Outcome Measures: Data were collected using face-to-face interviews completed by an interviewer and ophthalmic examinations.

Results: A total of 734 study participants aged 40 years and above were involved. The prevalence of cataract was 29.16% (95% CI: 25.89% to 32.59%). Factors associated with the prevalence of cataract were older age of 70-95 years (adjusted odds ratio (AOR)=8.60, 95% CI: 3.09 to 23.90), being diabetic (AOR=2.27, 95% CI: 1.37 to 3.74), exposure to sunlight (AOR=2.83, 95% CI: 1.45 to 5.53), trauma to eye (AOR=2.39, 95% CI: 1.19 to 4.81), hypertension (AOR=1.86, 95% CI:1.16 to 2.99) and glaucoma (AOR=5.36,95% CI: 3.13 to 9.18).

Conclusion: The prevalence of cataract was lower than previous national survey results. Old age, known history of trauma to eye, hypertension, diabetes, exposure to sunlight and glaucoma had statistically significant association with cataract.