Presbyopia is an age-related decline in the ability to see nearby objects clearly, usually beginning around age 40 and becoming nearly complete by age 55. It affects around 1.8 billion people worldwide and is the most common cause of visual impairment. Although it can be easily and inexpensively corrected with reading glasses, about 826 million people remain uncorrected, with over 90% living in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). In Bangladesh, only 3.2% of people with presbyopia have corrective glasses. Studies from LMICs show that uncorrected presbyopia affects daily and income-generating activities such as reading, writing, cooking, sewing, using mobile phones, and recognizing money. Evidence from the PROSPER randomized trial in Assam, India found that providing low-cost reading glasses increased tea pickers’ productivity by 21.7%, highlighting the potential economic benefits of presbyopia correction. However, that study focused on a single occupation, did not directly measure income, and relied on trained optometrists. To address these gaps, the current trial in Bangladesh examines multiple vision-intensive occupations, measures changes in self-reported income, and uses briefly trained non-medical personnel to determine reading-glass prescriptions. The study hypothesizes that providing free reading glasses will increase income and improve near-vision-related quality of life among presbyopic workers aged 35–65.
Authors: Sehrin, Farzana; Jin, Ling; Naher, Kamrun; Das, Narayan Chandra; Chan, Ving Fan; Li, Dong Feng; Bergson, Susan; Gudwin, Ella; Clarke, Mike; Stephan, Tai; Congdon, Nathan
Type: Journal Article
Year: 2024
