Association between Multimorbidity and Vision Impairment among the Middle-aged and Elderly Population in India: Evidence from a Cross-sectional Study

Background: Vision impairment (VI) is one of the most common conditions affecting the middle-aged and older population. Moreover, it can develop as a consequence of various eye diseases that are associated with several communicable and non-communicable diseases. Therefore, the aim of the study was to estimate the prevalence of VI and to examine the association of single and multiple chronic conditions with VI among middle-aged and elderly population in India.

Methods: The study utilized data from the Longitudinal Ageing Study in India (LASI) Wave 1, (2017-18). The total sample size for the present study was 65,562 individuals aged 45 and above, including 34,098 middle-aged people (45-59 years) and 31,464 elderly people (60 years and above). Descriptive statistics along with bivariate and multivariable analyses were performed to fulfill the objectives.

Results: The prevalence of VI in the sampled population was 48.2 percent. The elderly population (55.3 percent) had shown a greater prevalence rate of VI than the middle-aged individuals (41 percent). Among chronic conditions, hypertension, diabetes, chronic lung diseases, chronic heart diseases, bone related diseases, psychiatric disorders, and high cholesterol were significantly associated with VI in the case of both middle-aged and elderly population. Further, odds of experiencing VI according to the presence of multimorbidity were higher in the middle-aged population [adjusted odds ratio (AOR) =1.986; confidence interval (CI):1.855-2.126] than in the elderly population [AOR=1.746; CI:1.644-1.854].

Conclusion: Middle-aged and older adults with chronic illnesses and multimorbidity were at greater risk of VI, and owing to the high prevalence of VI, interventions that either prevent VI or allow for early detection are warranted.