Visual functions and disability in Iranian adults: a population-based study

Area of Science:

• Ophthalmology
• Public Health
• Epidemiology

Background:

• Vision-related quality of life is significantly impacted by visual impairments and eye diseases.
• Understanding visual function and disability is crucial for assessing the impact of eye conditions on daily life.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess visual functions and disability in Iranian adults aged 45-69 years.
• To investigate the association of visual function with demographic factors like age, gender, education, marital status, and economic status.

Main Methods:

• A population-based study utilizing data from the Shahroud eye cohort study (phase two).
• Visual function and disability scores were calculated using Rasch-transformed scores from the National Eye Institute Visual Functioning Questionnaire.
• Multiple linear regression analysis was employed to identify factors associated with visual function.

Main Results:

• Data from 4715 participants aged 45-69 years were analyzed.
• 75.3% of participants had "ideal and good" visual function, 17.1% had "moderate" function, and 7.5% had "bad and very bad" function.
• Poorer visual function was observed in females compared to males (β=0.14, p=0.005), with increasing education (β=-1.06, p<0.001), and in lower economic status groups (low: β=0.016, p=0.005; moderate: β=0.28, p<0.001).

Conclusions:

• The overall visual function among Iranian adults aged 45-69 years is moderate.
• Male gender, higher educational attainment, and higher socioeconomic status are associated with better visual function.
• These findings highlight the influence of demographic and socioeconomic factors on visual health in this population.