The prevalence, severity and risk factors for pterygium in central Myanmar: the Meiktila Eye Study

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dc.contributor.authorDurkin, S.
dc.contributor.authorAbhary, S.
dc.contributor.authorNewland, H.
dc.contributor.authorSelva-Nayagam, D.
dc.contributor.authorAung, T.
dc.contributor.authorCasson, R.
dc.date.issued2008
dc.description.abstractAims: To determine the prevalence, severity and risk factors associated with pterygium in adults in central Myanmar. Methods: Population-based, cross-sectional survey of the people 40 years and over residing in rural Myanmar. Pterygium was graded for severity (T1 to T3) by visibility of episcleral vessels, and the apical extent was recorded. An autorefractor was used to measure refractive error. Results: There were 2481 subjects identified, and 2076 (83.7%) participated. The prevalence of pterygium in either eye was 19.6% (95% confidence interval (CI) 16.9 to 22.2) and of bilateral pterygium 8.0% (95% CI 7.7 to 8.3). Outdoor occupation was an independent predictor of pterygium (p<0.01). The mean apical extent from the limbus was 2.2 mm (95% CI 2.05 to 2.35). Higher-grade pterygia did not have a significantly greater apical extent (p = 0.35). The presence of pterygium was associated with astigmatism, (p = 0.01), and the amount of astigmatism increased as both the severity (p<0.01) and apical extent increased (p<0.01). Two people of the 84 people blinded in both eyes were bilaterally blind from pterygium (1.7%; 95% CI 0.2 to 6.1), and pterygium accounted for 2.2% (95% CI 0.7 to 5.0) of blindness in at least one eye. No participant had low vision in both eyes due to pterygium, but pterygium led to 0.8% (95% CI 0.3 to 1.6) of low vision in at least one eye. Pterygium was therefore associated with 0.4% (95% CI 0.04 to 1.3) of binocular visual impairment and 1.0% (95% CI 0.6 to 1.8) of visual impairment in a least one eye. Conclusions: There is a high prevalence of pterygium in central Myanmar, and the risk of developing this condition increases with outdoor occupation. Pterygium in this population is associated with considerable visual morbidity, including blindness.
dc.description.statementofresponsibilityS. R. Durkin, S. Abhary, H. S. Newland, D. Selva, T. Aung, R. J. Casson
dc.identifier.citationBritish Journal of Ophthalmology, 2008; 92(1):25-29
dc.identifier.doi10.1136/bjo.2007.119842
dc.identifier.issn0007-1161
dc.identifier.issn1468-2079
dc.identifier.orcidSelva-Nayagam, D. [0000-0002-2169-5417]
dc.identifier.orcidCasson, R. [0000-0003-2822-4076]
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/2440/52073
dc.language.isoen
dc.publisherBritish Med Journal Publ Group
dc.source.urihttps://doi.org/10.1136/bjo.2007.119842
dc.subjectHumans
dc.subjectPterygium
dc.subjectAstigmatism
dc.subjectOccupational Diseases
dc.subjectSeverity of Illness Index
dc.subjectPrevalence
dc.subjectRisk Factors
dc.subjectCross-Sectional Studies
dc.subjectSmoking
dc.subjectAge Distribution
dc.subjectSex Distribution
dc.subjectAdult
dc.subjectAged
dc.subjectMiddle Aged
dc.subjectMyanmar
dc.subjectFemale
dc.subjectMale
dc.titleThe prevalence, severity and risk factors for pterygium in central Myanmar: the Meiktila Eye Study
dc.typeJournal article
pubs.publication-statusPublished

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