Abstract

Summary: The objective of this study is to describe, in a retrospective and prospective manner, statistical data on the revalence and incidence of cataract in the Mexican population from data generated by INEGI (Instituto Nacional de Estadisticas Geografica e Informatica - National Institute of Statistics, Geographical and Informatics) and The CONAPO (Consejo Nacional de Poblacion-National Population Council). The OPS (Organizacion Panamericana de Salud) (PAHO (Pan American Health Organization)) has determined 5 priority eye diseases in Latin America, Cases of which CATARATA causes 50% - 60% of reversible blindness. 20% of the population is above 50 years of age and 65% have visual disability.

Methodology: Statistical analysis with percentage and linear rojection analysis up to the year 2020 in the incidence of cataracts in the Mexican population over 50 age.

Results: Visual Disability data generated by INEGI and OMS from 2010 indicated that 19 million people are 50-80 years of age out of a total of 112.3 million Mexican inhabitants. Of that 19 million, 65% will have some form of visual impairment., i.e.., 12.3 million people of whom 60% could have some form of cataracts (7.4 million people). Visual disability data given by INEGI and OMS from 2010, Present the following results based on a total population of 112.3 million of Mexican habitants, we have that 19.0 million people between 50 and 80 years of age. 65% of the people between 50 and 80 years old will have some form of visual impairment, which is equivalent to 12.3 million habitants; from this number 60% could had cataracts which is equivalent to 7.4 million people with cataracts in 2010.

Conclusion: The incidence of cataract increases with age, and is more prevalent in, very advanced age. Since women in general tend to outlive men, it is expected that cataracts to be even more prevalent in women. Projections indicate that the world population will increase by a third in the next 15 years, consequently as people are living longer it is expected that people over 65 years old will double in the same period of time [1]. In Mexico projections have shown that by 2020 almost 20% of the population will be over 50 years old, corresponding to 23 million people, many of whom will have visually significant cataracts in need of surgery.

Keywords: Epidemiology; Prevalence; Incidence; Cataract; Visual acuity; Opacity of the lens