pISSN: 1011-8942 eISSN: 2092-9382 Korean J Ophthalmol 2011;25(6):421-433 http://dx.doi.org/10.3341/kjo.2011.25.6.421 Original Article Prevalence of Eye Diseases in South Korea: Data from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2008-2009 Kyung-Chul Yoon1, Gui-Hyeong Mun1, Sang-Duck Kim 2 , Seung-Hyun Kim 3 , Chan Yun Kim 4 , Ki Ho Park5, Young Jeung Park6, Seung-Hee Baek7, Su Jeong Song8, Jae Pil Shin9, Suk-Woo Yang10, Seung-Young Yu11, Jong Soo Lee12, Key Hwan Lim13, Hye-Jin Park14, Eun-Young Pyo14, Ji-Eun Yang14, Young-Taek Kim14, Kyung-Won Oh14, Se Woong Kang15 1Department of Ophthalmology, Chonnam National University Hospital, Chonnam National University Medical School, Gwangju, Korea 2Department of Ophthalmology, Wonkwang University College of Medicine, Iksan, Korea 3Department of Ophthalmology, Korea University College of Medicine, Ansan, Korea 4Institute of Vision Research, Department of Ophthalmology, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea 5Department of Ophthalmology, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea 6Department of Ophthalmology, Cheil Eye Hospital, Daegu, Korea 7Department of Ophthalmology, Kim’s Eye Hospital, Konyang University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea 8Department of Ophthalmology, Kangbuk Samsung Hospital, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, Korea 9Department of Ophthalmology, Kyungpook National University School of Medicine, Daegu, Korea 10Department of Ophthalmology, The Catholic University of Korea College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea 11Department of Ophthalmology, Kyung Hee University School of Medicine, Seoul, Korea 12Department of Ophthalmology, Pusan National University College of Medicine, Busan, Korea 13Department of Ophthalmology, Ewha Womans University School of Medicine, Seoul, Korea 14Division of Chronic Disease Surveillance, Korea Centers for Disease Control & Prevention, Seoul, Korea 15Department of Ophthalmology, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, Korea Purpose: The aim of this study is to report on preliminary data regarding the prevalence of major eye diseases in Korea. Methods: We obtained data from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, a nation-wide cross-sectional survey and examinations of the non-institutionalized civilian population in South Korea (n = 14,606), conducted from July 2008 to December 2009. Field survey teams included an ophthalmologist, nurses, and interviewers, traveled with a mobile examination unit and performed interviews and ophthalmologic examinations. Results: The prevalence of visual impairment, myopia, hyperopia and astigmatism in participants over 5 years of age was 0.4 ± 0.1%, 53.7 ± 0.6%, 10.7 ± 0.4%, and 58.0 ± 0.6%, respectively. The prevalence of strabismus and blepharoptosis in participants over 3 years of age was 1.5 ± 0.1% and 11.0 ± 0.8%, respectively. In participants over 40 years of age, the prevalence of cataract, pterygium, early and late age-related macular degeneration, dia- betic retinopathy and glaucoma was 40.2 ± 1.3%, 8.9 ± 0.5%, 5.1 ± 0.3%, 0.5 ± 0.1%, 13.4 ± 1.5%, and 2.1 ± 0.2%, respectively. Conclusions: This is the first nation-wide epidemiologic study conducted in South Korea for assessment of the prev- alence of eye diseases by both the Korean Ophthalmologic Society and the Korea Center for Disease Control and Prevention. This study will provide preliminary information for use in further investigation, prevention, and management of eye diseases in Korea. Key Words: Epidemiology, Eye diseases, Korea, Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, Prevalence ⓒ 2011 The Korean Ophthalmological Society This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses /by-nc/3.0/) which permits unrestricted non-commercial use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. 421