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. 2013 Jun 18;6(3):402-5.
doi: 10.3980/j.issn.2222-3959.2013.03.27. Print 2013.

Prevalence of vitreous floaters in a community sample of smartphone users

Blake F Webb  1 , Jadon R Webb, Mary C Schroeder, Carol S North
Affiliations

Prevalence of vitreous floaters in a community sample of smartphone users

Blake F Webb et al. Int J Ophthalmol. .

Abstract

Aim: To estimate the prevalence and risk factors for vitreous floaters in the general population.

Methods: An electronic survey was administered through a smartphone app asking various demographic and health questions, including whether users experience floaters in their field of vision. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to determine risk factors.

Results: A total of 603 individuals completed the survey, with 76% reporting that they see floaters, and 33% reporting that floaters caused noticeable impairment in vision. Myopes were 3.5 times more likely (P=0.0004), and hyperopes 4.4 times more likely (P=0.0069) to report moderate to severe floaters compared to those with normal vision. Floater prevalence was not significantly affected by respondent age, race, gender, and eye color.

Conclusion: Vitreous floaters were found to be a very common phenomenon in this non-clinical general population sample, and more likely to be impairing in myopes and hyperopes.

Keywords: age; floaters; myopia; survey; vitreous floaters.

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