Sight impairment registration in Trinidad: trend in causes and population coverage in comparison to the National Eye Survey of Trinidad and Tobago

Shivaa Ramsewak; Frank Deomansingh; Blaine Winford; Debra Bartholomew; Vedatta Maharaj; Amandi Fraser; Deo Singh; Kenneth Suratt; Vrijesh Tripathi; Kevin McNally; Subash Sharma; Covadonga Bascaran; Samuel S Ramsewak; Rupert R A Bourne; Tasanee Braithwaite

doi:10.1038/s41433-024-02943-3

Sight impairment registration in Trinidad: trend in causes and population coverage in comparison to the National Eye Survey of Trinidad and Tobago

Shivaa Ramsewak, Frank Deomansingh, Blaine Winford, Debra Bartholomew, Vedatta Maharaj, Amandi Fraser, Deo Singh, Kenneth Suratt, Vrijesh Tripathi, Kevin McNally, Subash Sharma, Covadonga Bascaran, Samuel S Ramsewak, Rupert R A Bourne, Tasanee Braithwaite

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3 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Background: Little was known about the population coverage and causes of sight impairment (SI) registration within the Caribbean, or the extent to which register studies offer insights into population eye health. Methods: We compared causes of SI registration in the Trinidad and Tobago Blind Welfare Association (TTBWA) register with findings from the 2014 National Eye Survey of Trinidad and Tobago (NESTT), and estimated registration coverage. Cross-sectional validation studies of registered clients included interviews, visual function and cause ascertainment in July 2013, and interviews and visual function in July 2016. Results: The TTBWA register included 863 people (all ages, 48.1%(n = 415) male) registered between 1951 and 2015. The NESTT identified 1.1%(75/7158) people aged ≥5years eligible for partial or severe SI registration, of whom 49.3%(n = 37) were male. Registration coverage was approximately 7% of the eligible population of Trinidad. Nevertheless, there was close agreement in the causes of SI comparing the register and population-representative survey. Glaucoma was the leading cause in both the register (26.1%,n = 225) and population-based survey (26.1%, 18/69 adults), followed by cataract and diabetic retinopathy. In the validation studies combined, 62.6%(93/151) clients had severe SI, 28.5%(43/151) had partial SI and 9.9%(15/151) did not meet SI eligibility criteria. SI was potentially avoidable in at least 58%(n = 36/62) adults and 50%(n = 7/14) children. Conclusion: We report very low register coverage of the SI population, but close agreement in causes of SI to a contemporaneous national population-based eye survey, half of which resulted from preventable or treatable eye disease.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	2134-2142
Number of pages	9
Journal	Eye (London, England)
Volume	38
Issue number	11
Early online date	7 Feb 2024
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1038/s41433-024-02943-3
Publication status	Published - 1 Aug 2024

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Ramsewak, S., Deomansingh, F., Winford, B., Bartholomew, D., Maharaj, V., Fraser, A., Singh, D., Suratt, K., Tripathi, V., McNally, K., Sharma, S., Bascaran, C., Ramsewak, S. S., Bourne, R. R. A., & Braithwaite, T. (2024). Sight impairment registration in Trinidad: trend in causes and population coverage in comparison to the National Eye Survey of Trinidad and Tobago. Eye (London, England), 38(11), 2134-2142. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41433-024-02943-3

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title = "Sight impairment registration in Trinidad: trend in causes and population coverage in comparison to the National Eye Survey of Trinidad and Tobago",

abstract = "Background: Little was known about the population coverage and causes of sight impairment (SI) registration within the Caribbean, or the extent to which register studies offer insights into population eye health. Methods: We compared causes of SI registration in the Trinidad and Tobago Blind Welfare Association (TTBWA) register with findings from the 2014 National Eye Survey of Trinidad and Tobago (NESTT), and estimated registration coverage. Cross-sectional validation studies of registered clients included interviews, visual function and cause ascertainment in July 2013, and interviews and visual function in July 2016. Results: The TTBWA register included 863 people (all ages, 48.1%(n = 415) male) registered between 1951 and 2015. The NESTT identified 1.1%(75/7158) people aged ≥5years eligible for partial or severe SI registration, of whom 49.3%(n = 37) were male. Registration coverage was approximately 7% of the eligible population of Trinidad. Nevertheless, there was close agreement in the causes of SI comparing the register and population-representative survey. Glaucoma was the leading cause in both the register (26.1%,n = 225) and population-based survey (26.1%, 18/69 adults), followed by cataract and diabetic retinopathy. In the validation studies combined, 62.6%(93/151) clients had severe SI, 28.5%(43/151) had partial SI and 9.9%(15/151) did not meet SI eligibility criteria. SI was potentially avoidable in at least 58%(n = 36/62) adults and 50%(n = 7/14) children. Conclusion: We report very low register coverage of the SI population, but close agreement in causes of SI to a contemporaneous national population-based eye survey, half of which resulted from preventable or treatable eye disease.",

author = "Shivaa Ramsewak and Frank Deomansingh and Blaine Winford and Debra Bartholomew and Vedatta Maharaj and Amandi Fraser and Deo Singh and Kenneth Suratt and Vrijesh Tripathi and Kevin McNally and Subash Sharma and Covadonga Bascaran and Ramsewak, {Samuel S} and Bourne, {Rupert R A} and Tasanee Braithwaite",

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Ramsewak, S, Deomansingh, F, Winford, B, Bartholomew, D, Maharaj, V, Fraser, A, Singh, D, Suratt, K, Tripathi, V, McNally, K, Sharma, S, Bascaran, C, Ramsewak, SS, Bourne, RRA & Braithwaite, T 2024, 'Sight impairment registration in Trinidad: trend in causes and population coverage in comparison to the National Eye Survey of Trinidad and Tobago', Eye (London, England), vol. 38, no. 11, pp. 2134-2142. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41433-024-02943-3

TY - JOUR

T1 - Sight impairment registration in Trinidad: trend in causes and population coverage in comparison to the National Eye Survey of Trinidad and Tobago

AU - Ramsewak, Shivaa

AU - Deomansingh, Frank

AU - Winford, Blaine

AU - Bartholomew, Debra

AU - Maharaj, Vedatta

AU - Fraser, Amandi

AU - Singh, Deo

AU - Suratt, Kenneth

AU - Tripathi, Vrijesh

AU - McNally, Kevin

AU - Sharma, Subash

AU - Bascaran, Covadonga

AU - Ramsewak, Samuel S

AU - Bourne, Rupert R A

AU - Braithwaite, Tasanee

PY - 2024/8/1

Y1 - 2024/8/1

N2 - Background: Little was known about the population coverage and causes of sight impairment (SI) registration within the Caribbean, or the extent to which register studies offer insights into population eye health. Methods: We compared causes of SI registration in the Trinidad and Tobago Blind Welfare Association (TTBWA) register with findings from the 2014 National Eye Survey of Trinidad and Tobago (NESTT), and estimated registration coverage. Cross-sectional validation studies of registered clients included interviews, visual function and cause ascertainment in July 2013, and interviews and visual function in July 2016. Results: The TTBWA register included 863 people (all ages, 48.1%(n = 415) male) registered between 1951 and 2015. The NESTT identified 1.1%(75/7158) people aged ≥5years eligible for partial or severe SI registration, of whom 49.3%(n = 37) were male. Registration coverage was approximately 7% of the eligible population of Trinidad. Nevertheless, there was close agreement in the causes of SI comparing the register and population-representative survey. Glaucoma was the leading cause in both the register (26.1%,n = 225) and population-based survey (26.1%, 18/69 adults), followed by cataract and diabetic retinopathy. In the validation studies combined, 62.6%(93/151) clients had severe SI, 28.5%(43/151) had partial SI and 9.9%(15/151) did not meet SI eligibility criteria. SI was potentially avoidable in at least 58%(n = 36/62) adults and 50%(n = 7/14) children. Conclusion: We report very low register coverage of the SI population, but close agreement in causes of SI to a contemporaneous national population-based eye survey, half of which resulted from preventable or treatable eye disease.

AB - Background: Little was known about the population coverage and causes of sight impairment (SI) registration within the Caribbean, or the extent to which register studies offer insights into population eye health. Methods: We compared causes of SI registration in the Trinidad and Tobago Blind Welfare Association (TTBWA) register with findings from the 2014 National Eye Survey of Trinidad and Tobago (NESTT), and estimated registration coverage. Cross-sectional validation studies of registered clients included interviews, visual function and cause ascertainment in July 2013, and interviews and visual function in July 2016. Results: The TTBWA register included 863 people (all ages, 48.1%(n = 415) male) registered between 1951 and 2015. The NESTT identified 1.1%(75/7158) people aged ≥5years eligible for partial or severe SI registration, of whom 49.3%(n = 37) were male. Registration coverage was approximately 7% of the eligible population of Trinidad. Nevertheless, there was close agreement in the causes of SI comparing the register and population-representative survey. Glaucoma was the leading cause in both the register (26.1%,n = 225) and population-based survey (26.1%, 18/69 adults), followed by cataract and diabetic retinopathy. In the validation studies combined, 62.6%(93/151) clients had severe SI, 28.5%(43/151) had partial SI and 9.9%(15/151) did not meet SI eligibility criteria. SI was potentially avoidable in at least 58%(n = 36/62) adults and 50%(n = 7/14) children. Conclusion: We report very low register coverage of the SI population, but close agreement in causes of SI to a contemporaneous national population-based eye survey, half of which resulted from preventable or treatable eye disease.

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85184158493&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1038/s41433-024-02943-3

DO - 10.1038/s41433-024-02943-3

M3 - Article

C2 - 38326486

SN - 0950-222X

VL - 38

SP - 2134

EP - 2142

JO - Eye (London, England)

JF - Eye (London, England)

IS - 11

ER -

Sight impairment registration in Trinidad: trend in causes and population coverage in comparison to the National Eye Survey of Trinidad and Tobago

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