Nationwide Rapid Assessment of Avoidable Blindness (RAAB) in Armenia

Area of Science:

• Ophthalmology
• Public Health
• Epidemiology

Background:

• Age-related vision impairment poses a significant public health challenge globally.
• Understanding the prevalence and causes of blindness in specific populations is crucial for targeted interventions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To estimate the prevalence and primary causes of blindness and visual impairment among individuals aged 50 and older in Armenia.
• To utilize the Rapid Assessment of Avoidable Blindness (RAAB) methodology for comprehensive data collection.

Main Methods:

• A population-based survey employing the RAAB methodology was conducted in Armenia.
• Random sampling of 50 clusters (2,500 individuals) was performed across all 11 regions.
• Data collected included presenting and pinhole visual acuity, causes of visual impairment, spectacle coverage, uncorrected refractive error (URE), and presbyopia.

Main Results:

• The age- and gender-adjusted prevalence of bilateral blindness was 1.5%, severe visual impairment was 1.6%, and moderate visual impairment was 6.6%.
• Cataract (43.9%) and glaucoma (17.1%) were the leading causes of blindness.
• Uncorrected refractive error (URE) affected 54.6% and uncorrected presbyopia 35.3% of participants. Blindness prevalence increased with age.

Conclusions:

• Untreated cataract remains the primary cause of avoidable blindness in the Armenian population aged 50 and above.
• The findings highlight the need for enhanced strategies to improve the accessibility and quality of cataract surgery in Armenia.