Prevalence and factors associated with uncorrected presbyopia in a rural population of Japan: the Locomotive Syndrome and Health Outcome in Aizu Cohort Study

PURPOSE: To investigate the prevalence and factors associated with uncorrected presbyopia among rural community dwellers in Japan. STUDY DESIGN: A population-based cross-sectional study was conducted in 2011 among community dwellers aged 40-74 years who received specific health checkups in Minamiaizu and Tadami, Fukushima Prefecture, Japan. METHODS: Uncorrected presbyopia was considered as when the distance-corrected visual acuity in the better eye was ≥0.5 and the near-presenting visual acuity in the better eye was <0.4, regardless of distance refractive status. Multiple logistic regression analysis was employed to calculate the odds ratios (ORs) for uncorrected presbyopia and to adjust for possible confounders. RESULTS: A total of 2054 individuals participated in the specific health checkups. In the 1156 individuals (response rate: 56.28%) analyzed in the study, the mean (SD) age was 63.0 (8.7) years, the percentage of women was higher (57.87%), and the prevalence of uncorrected presbyopia was 26.38% (95% CI 23.86%-29.03%). Multivariate analysis revealed that the factors associated with uncorrected presbyopia were older age (adjusted OR: 1.054 [95% CI: 1.034-1.075]), female sex (adjusted OR: 1.388 [95% CI: 1.006-1.915]), and distance-presenting vision impairment (adjusted OR: 2.651 [95% CI: 1.697-4.143]). CONCLUSION: Approximately one-quarter of the participants in this study from a rural population of Japan did not have adequate near vision. It is recommended that a public health intervention should be enacted to correct presbyopia, especially in the older age group, women, and those with uncorrected refractive errors.