Although eye problems can occur at any age, they are often common from the age of 40. Eye diseases with a prevalence associated with age and aging will continue to increase in the coming years. Most studies conducted on problems in middle-aged people have focused on visual disorders without taking into account all the ocular morbidities that may affect this segment of the population, hence the present study, the aim of which is to determine the proportions of different eye diseases in people aged 40 and over. Materials and Methods: This was a descriptive cross-sectional study carried out in the ophthalmology department covering the period from January 1 to December 31, 2020. Results: In total, we collected 828 patients aged 40 and over out of 1811 patients who received ophthalmological consultation during the study period, representing 45.72%. The most represented age group was 40 - 50 years, with an average age of 58.84 years and a maximum of 93 years. There were slightly more women (62.3%) than men (37.7%). The main reasons for consultation were decreased visual acuity (26.4%) and pruritus (19.9%). The main eye diseases diagnosed were cataracts (23%), allergic conjunctivitis (21.1%), and bacterial conjunctivitis (14.2%). Discussions: The predominance of cataracts in the diagnosed diseases confirms the literature data, according to which the main eye morbidities in middle-aged and elderly people are cataracts, glaucoma, and age-related macular degeneration. Conclusion: It is crucial to have a mastery of these epidemiological data of eye diseases in order to adapt the technical platforms of eye care structures to the needs of different segments of the population.
References
[1]
Buchon, C. (2019) Age-Related Eye Diseases: Management and Support in the Pharmacy. Pharmaceutical Sciences. Pharmacy Thesis, University of Picardie Jules Verne.
[2]
Haddadin, A., Ereifej, I., Zawaida, F. and Haddadin, H. (2002) Causes of Visual Impairment and Blindness among the Middle-Aged and Elderly in Northern Jordan. Eastern Mediterranean Health Journal, 8, 404-408. https://doi.org/10.26719/2002.8.2-3.404
[3]
Xu, L., Wang, Y., Li, Y., Wang, Y., Cui, T., Li, J., et al. (2006) Causes of Blindness and Visual Impairment in Urban and Rural Areas in Beijing. Ophthalmology, 113, 1134.e1. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ophtha.2006.01.035
[4]
Hsu, W., Cheng, C., Liu, J., Tsai, S. and Chou, P. (2004) Prevalence and Causes of Visual Impairment in an Elderly Chinese Population in Taiwan Region—The Authors Have No Proprietary Interest in Any Aspect of the Study. Ophthalmology, 111, 62-69. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ophtha.2003.05.011
[5]
Saw, S. (2004) Causes of Blindness, Low Vision, and Questionnaire-Assessed Poor Visual Function in Singaporean Chinese Adults*1the Tanjong Pagar Survey. Ophthalmology, 111, 1161-1168. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ophtha.2003.09.040
[6]
Gunnlaugsdottir, E., Arnarsson, A. and Jonasson, F. (2008) Prevalence and Causes of Visual Impairment and Blindness in Icelanders Aged 50 Years and Older: The Reykjavik Eye Study. Acta Ophthalmologica, 86, 778-785. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1755-3768.2008.01191.x
[7]
Limburg, H., von-Bischhoffshausen, F.B., Gomez, P., Silva, J.C. and Foster, A. (2008) Review of Recent Surveys on Blindness and Visual Impairment in Latin America. British Journal of Ophthalmology, 92, 315-319. https://doi.org/10.1136/bjo.2007.125906
[8]
Oye, J.E. and Kuper, H. (2007) Prevalence and Causes of Blindness and Visual Impairment in Limbe Urban Area, South West Province, Cameroon. British Journal of Ophthalmology, 91, 1435-1439. https://doi.org/10.1136/bjo.2007.115840
[9]
Thulasiraj, R.D., Nirmalan, P.K., Ramakrishnan, R., Krishnadas, R., Manimekalai, T.K., Baburajan, N.P., et al. (2003) Blindness and Vision Impairment in a Rural South Indian Population: The Aravind Comprehensive Eye Survey. Ophthalmology, 110, 1491-1498. https://doi.org/10.1016/s0161-6420(03)00565-7
[10]
Casson, R.J., Newland, H.S., Muecke, J., McGovern, S., Durkin, S., Sullivan, T., et al. (2007) Prevalence and Causes of Visual Impairment in Rural Myanmar. Ophthalmology, 114, 2302-2308. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ophtha.2007.02.004
[11]
Edussuriya, K., Sennanayake, S., Senaratne, T., Marshall, D., Sullivan, T., Selva, D., et al. (2009) The Prevalence and Causes of Visual Impairment in Central Sri Lanka. Ophthalmology, 116, 52-56. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ophtha.2008.08.034
[12]
Boad‐Kusi, S.B., Kumi‐Kyereme, A., Awusabo‐Asare, K., et al. (2013) Ocular Health of the Emerging Elderly Population in Ghana: Evidence from a Peri-Urban Community. Healthy Aging & Clinical Care in the Elderly, 5, 21‐31.
[13]
Kang, R., Kim, J.J., Chung, P., Hwang, G., Kim, J.S., Baek, S., et al. (2018) Distribution of Eye Diseases in Kasungu District, Malawi, Central Africa—A Retrospective Cross-Sectional Study. Advances in Infectious Diseases, 8, 64-69. https://doi.org/10.4236/aid.2018.82008
