Objective: To assess the prevalence of eye diseases among elderly receiving care at a University Healthcare eye service.

Materials and Methods: A retrospective review of medical records was conducted for elderly patients attending Rangsit University Healthcare’s eye services between 2020 and 2021. Data collected included age, gender, underlying systemic diseases, refraction data, and results of comprehensive eye examinations. Logistic regression analysis was performed to investigate the associations between age, gender, and eye diseases.

Results: Out of 22,563 patients that attended the eye service, 1,452 were aged 60 years and older. The most common eye diseases observed were uncorrected refractive errors at 71.14%, followed by cataracts including pseudophakia at 69.77%, glaucoma at 21.9%, and posterior vitreous detachment at 14.6%. Additionally, pinguecula, pterygium, and lid disorders were presented in 10.67% of cases, dry eye 8.47%, retinal breaks 6.89%, epiretinal membrane 5.85%, diabetic retinopathy 4.75%, and age-related macular degeneration 4.13%. The prevalence of retinal breaks, epiretinal membrane, diabetic retinopathy, age-related macular degeneration, glaucoma, and corneal diseases increased with age while pinguecula, pterygium, and lid disorders showed an inverse association with age. Cataracts, posterior vitreous detachment, and dry eyes were more common in women, whereas, pinguecula, pterygium, lid disorders, and corneal diseases were more prevalent in men. Refractive error, glaucoma, and age-related macular degeneration showed no gender difference. Compared to the previous national surveys in Thailand, posterior segment eye diseases were more prevalent in the present study.

Conclusion: Uncorrected refractive errors, cataracts, and glaucoma were the most prevalent eye diseases observed in the elderly patients, consistent with the previous national surveys. However, the present study identified an increased prevalence of posterior segment eye diseases. Early screening and referral by optometrists for timely treatment by ophthalmologists are crucial in preventing visual loss and achieving better visual outcomes while optimizing resource utilization.

Received 25 January 2024 | Revised 21 March 2024 | Accepted 2 April 2024

DOI:10.35755/jmedassocthai.2024.5.13982