Objectives To determine the prevalence of presbyopia and associated risk factors among Bangladeshi recipients of elderly social safety net payments who were not currently using mobile financial services (MFS) and demonstrated numeracy, dexterity and cognitive prerequisites for smartphone use during eligibility screening for the Transforming Households with Refraction and Innovative Financial Technology (THRIFT) trial. Accessing these payments requires use of online banking, as with a smartphone.
Design Cross-sectional analysis of trial eligibility screening data. Setting Community-based screening conducted in two rural subdistricts in Kurigram District, Bangladesh.
Participants Among 13 944 Old Age Allowance and Widows' Allowance (WA) beneficiaries screened, 953 met trial eligibility criteria, including passing a smartphone readiness assessment and completing near vision examinations. Primary and secondary outcome measures Presbyopia, defined as binocular presenting near visual acuity of N6.3 or worse, correctable to at least N5 with near vision glasses and with distance vision of ≥6/12 in both eyes.
Results Among 953 participants (mean age 61.4±7.2 years, 62.6% women), presbyopia prevalence was 62.6% (95% CI 59.5 to 65.7).
BMJ Open published a clinical update in Research Highlights on 07 Apr 2026.
The item focuses on Prevalence of presbyopia among social safety net beneficiaries with the cognitive, numeracy and dexterity skills required for smartphone use: a cross-sectional analysis of THRIFT RCT screening data from Kurigram, Bangladesh.
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