Population need for primary eye care in Rwanda: a national survey

Background: Universal access to Primary Eye Care (PEC) is a key global initiative to reduce and prevent avoidable causes of visual impairment (VI). PEC can address minor eye conditions, simple forms of uncorrected refractive error (URE) and create a referral pathway for specialist eye care, thus offering a potential solution to a lack of eye health specialists in low-income countries. However, there is little information on the population need for PEC, including prevalence of URE in all ages in Sub-Saharan Africa. Methods: A national survey was conducted of people aged 7 and over in Rwanda in September-December 2016. Participants were selected through two-stage probability proportional to size sampling and compact segment sampling. VI (visual acuity&lt;6/12) was assessed using Portable Eye Examination Kit (PEEK); URE was detected using a pinhole and presbyopia using local near vision test. We also used validated questionnaires to collect socio-demographic and minor eye symptoms informat...背景：初级眼保健（Primary Eye Care, PEC）全民可及是全球减少和预防可避免性视力损害（Visual Impairment, VI）的核心举措。初级眼保健可诊治轻度眼部疾病、单纯性未矫正屈光不正（Uncorrected Refractive Error, URE），并建立专科眼科医疗转诊通道，从而为低收入国家眼科专科医师匮乏的问题提供可行解决方案。然而目前关于初级眼保健的人群需求数据十分匮乏，包括撒哈拉以南非洲各年龄段未矫正屈光不正的患病率。 方法：2016年9月至12月，卢旺达针对7岁及以上人群开展了一项全国性调查。研究对象通过两阶段按规模概率抽样与紧凑整群抽样法选取。采用便携式眼科检查套件（Portable Eye Examination Kit, PEEK）评估视力损害（视力<6/12）；通过针孔试验检测未矫正屈光不正，使用本土化近视力测试筛查老花眼。本研究同时采用经过验证的问卷收集社会人口学特征与轻度眼部症状相关信息...