Epidemiology of cataract in China from 1990 to 2021: findings from the Global Burden of disease study 2021

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the burden of cataract in China from 1990 to 2021. METHOD: Using the data of the 2021 Global Burden of Disease (GBD 2021) study, analyzed the the prevalence and year lived with disability (YLD) of cataract. RESULTS: In 2021, the number of cataract cases in China was 19,784,671(16,950,247 ~ 22,757,901), which increased by 248.08% compared to that in 1990. The YLD caused by cataract were 1,111,945(798,050 ~ 1,510,433) person-year, which increased by 144.62%. The age-standardized prevalence rate showed an upward trend, but the age-standardized YLD rate showed a downward trend in China (P < 0.05). The age-standardized prevalence rate increased from 878.30/100,000 in 1990 to 989.59/100,000 in 2021, with an increase of 12.67%, and average annual percentage change (AAPC) = 0.5%, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.2%～0.7%, t value: 3.4, and P < 0.05. And the age-standardized YLD rate decreased from 66.97/100,000 in 1990 to 55.89/100,000 in 2021, with a decrease of 16.54%, and AAPC = -0.4%, 95% CI: -0.7%～-0.2%, t value: -3.3, and P < 0.05. And the age-standardized prevalence rate and age-standardized YLD rate of cataract in females were higher than those in males. With the increase of age, the prevalence rate and YLD rate of cataract in both males and females increased. Compared with 1990, the total number of prevalence due to cataract in China in 2021 increased by 248.08%, of which the increase in prevalence rate accounted for 44.56%, population growth accounted for 20.93%, and population aging accounted for 182.59%. CONCLUSION: From 1990 to 2021, the number of prevalence and YLD for cataract increased by year, the age-standardized prevalence rate showed an upward trend, and the age-standardized YLD rate showed a downward trend in China. The burden of cataract was higher in females than that in males. With the increase of age, the burden of cataract was gradually increasing.