The burden of visual impairment among Ethiopian adult population: Systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND: Visual impairment is a public health problem in both developing and developed countries, especially, in developing countries where most visually impaired communities are found. Knowledge of the pooled prevalence of visual impairment among adults is useful in planning, preventive programs and the provision of eye-care services for communities. METHODS: Original observational studies published in English were included in this systematic review and meta-analysis. Eleven studies with a total sample size of 8,161 study participants were included. PubMed/Medline, HINARI, Google Scholar, Cochrane library, Web of Science, and African Journals Online databases were used to search for published articles. Data were extracted on a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet and analyzed using Revman 5.4.1 Software. Meta-analysis of further pooled prevalence estimates using the inverse variance heterogeneity model. The pooled estimate of visual impairment in the current review was estimated using a random-effects model. Forest plots were used to illustrate heterogeneity and to quantify the pooled prevalence of visual impairment. Publication bias was assessed using funnel plots. Visual impairment was defined as a presenting visual acuity of less than 6/18 in the betting-seen eye. RESULTS: A total of 538 studies were identified from several Databases and digital libraries, of which eleven articles were selected for the final meta-analysis. Significant heterogeneity was observed across studies, suggesting a random-effects model to estimate the pooled prevalence of visual impairment. The prevalence of visual impairment in Ethiopia ranges from 10.3% in Addis Ababa central Ethiopia to 37.58% in the Northern Ethiopia. The pooled prevalence of visual impairment in the current review was 22% (95% CI: 17%–27%; I(2) = 97%) using a random-effects model. There was also evidence of symmetry in the funnel plots. CONCLUSION: This systematic review and meta-analysis demonstrated a greater burden of visual impairment among Ethiopians in various study populations. Further, intervention strategies are required to reduce the burden of visual impairment and improve quality of life.