P.T. V. M. de Jong

1142 Prevalence and causes of blindness in subjects of 55 years and older: The Rotterdam study

lbpauz To study the prevalence aad causes of blindness and low vision in a middle-aged and elderly population of the NOtlWlands. MetlrodrIn a single center prospective follow-up study in Rotterdam, 6178 subjects of 55 years and older underwent a complete ophthalmological examination. The grade of visual impairment was classified according to WHO-standards: subjects with best-corrected visual acuity c 0.05 in the better eye were defined as blind, subjects with visual acuity < 0.3 in the better eye were defined as affected by low vision. Ruu& We identified 32 subjects who were blind io both eyes. Overall prevalence of blindness was 0.5%. raaghg from 0.1% in subjects under 60 years to 3.9% in subjects of 85 years and older. Prevalence of low vision was 1.4%, ranging from 0.2% to 12.0%. Major causes of blindness were agerelated macular degeneration (55%). myopic degeneration (7%), glaucoma (7%), cataract (7%), and a combination of the above pathology (17%). conduh~ Age-related macular degeneration is by far the major cause of severe visual impairment in this predominantly white population of 55 years and older. ANTERIOR SRGMEVT EYR INFECTIONS DUGNOSTIC TRENDR IN A umvERRITYEYEcLlN1c