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New research · Ophthalmology
Clinical & experimental ophthalmology · 4d
Cross-sectionalClinical & experimental ophthalmology · 2026

Prevalence and Pattern of Refractive Errors Among Yanomami Indigenous People in the Brazilian Amazon: A Cross-Sectional Observational Study.

Maria Christina Chagas Ferreira, Marcos Antonio Pellegrini, Bianca Jorge Sequeira
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OphthalmologyCross-sectional

16.5% of Yanomami examined had myopia, all mild, none severe.

Prevalence and Pattern of Refractive Errors Among Yanomami Indigenous People in the Brazilian Amazon: A Cross-Sectional Observational Study.

Maria Christina Chagas Ferreira … Bianca Jorge Sequeira
Clinical & experimental ophthalmology · 2026
Background

Refractive errors are the leading cause of preventable visual impairment worldwide, yet data from isolated Indigenous populations remain virtually absent from the global literature.

Methods

A cross-sectional observational study was conducted in 2024 at the Yanomami Indigenous Health House, Boa Vista, Roraima, Brazil.

n = 158 individuals
16.5%
Results
16.5%
share found nearsighted on eye exam - all mild, none severe
n = 158 individuals
More results

Emmetropia was observed in 67.7% of participants, declining markedly with age from 100% in children aged 5 to 9 years to 38.6% in those aged 40 to 59 years.

Astigmatism affected 24.1% and hyperopia 12.7%.

Presbyopia was identified in 24.7% of participants and 52.0% of those aged 35 years or older.

More results

Overall, 25.3% presented with reduced visual acuity, of whom 67.5% improved to normal range (20/30 or better) (p < 0.001).

“
Conclusion · 1 of 3

This first characterisation of the Yanomami refractive profile reveals a distinct myopia pattern shaped by high outdoor exposure and minimal near-work demands.

Conclusion · 2 of 3

Yet refractive correction remains effectively inaccessible, leaving preventable visual impairment unaddressed and reflecting a profound health inequity.

Conclusion · 3 of 3

Corrective lens provision is a high-impact, scalable intervention for this underserved community.

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