Association between vision impairment and the risk of comorbidities of heart disease and depression: a population-based cohort study among middle-aged and older adults using the CHARLS 2018 data

Background Researches have shown that vision impairment are linked to various cardiovascular diseases and mental health conditions, particularly in middle-aged and elderly populations. Therefore, our study aimed to investigate the correlation between vision impairments as an exposure factor and the comorbidities of heart disease and depression as an outcome, exploring new strategies for their prevention and treatment. Methods A total of 22,698 participants from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS) database in 2018 were incorporated into the study. After data screening, a baseline table was first created using the weighted chi-square test. Next, three logistic regression models were developed to investigate the correlation between the exposure factor and the outcome. Additionally, risk stratification analysis was conducted. Finally, a ROC curve was plotted to evaluate the predictive ability of the exposure factor for the outcome. Results After excluding ineligible individuals, 3,913 participants remained, consisting of 93 cases and 3,820 controls. The baseline table revealed significant differences between cases and controls regarding vision impairments. A notably positive association was found between vision impairments and comorbidities of heart disease and depression (in model 3, OR = 2.357, 95% CI = 1.037–4.817, P < 0.027). Furthermore, risk stratification analysis confirmed that vision problems were a significant risk factor for the outcome. ROC curves demonstrated strong predictive performance of vision impairments for the outcome, with an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.837. Conclusion The study's findings suggested a link between vision impairments and comorbidities of heart disease and depression, highlighting vision impairments as a potential risk factor for comorbidities of heart disease and depression. This could inform the development of new treatment strategies for the comorbidities of heart disease and depression.