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Abstract
The global increase in people aged 60 years and above had attracted the attention of the world to the magnitude of the problem of providing health care for the elderly. The proportion of the geriatric population in developed countries reached between 12 and 18% of total population and expected to increase in coming years. Similar changes noticed in developing countries. According to EMRO, in Egypt, in 2003, population aged 65 years and over was 3.5% of the total population. Health maintenance of geriatric patients is an integral part of daily medical practice for most family physicians. Out of necessity, family physicians must be prepared to offer preventive services to this age group in an appropriate and efficient manner. Globally, in 2002 more than 161 million people were visually impaired, of whom 124 million people had low vision and 37 million were blind. However, refractive error as a cause of visual impairment was not included, which implies that the actual global magnitude of visual impairment is greater/More than 82% of all people who are blind are 50 years of age and older, although they represent only 19% of the world’s population. The most common causes of visual impairment in the elderly include presbyopia, cataracts, glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy and age-related macular degeneration The aim of the present study was to study the detection of visual impairment among the elders through family medicine centers in Alexandria Governorate by: 1. Assessment of the available resources for the early detection of visual impairment among the elderly attending some family medicine centers in Alexandria. . 2. Assessment of the knowledge of family physicians concerning visual impairment among the elderly. 3.Screening of the elderly attending the study health facilities for early detection of
visual impairment.4.Assessment of knowledge of the elderly and their caregivers concerning detection
of visual impairment.To conduct the present study the following techniques were used: 1. A checklist was designed according to WHO guidelines (1997), and Basic Benefit Package of Egyptian Ministry of Health and Population (MOHP) 2002, to assess the resources available for the early detection of visual impairment among the elderly.