The prevalence and causes of visual impairment in central Sri Lanka the Kandy Eye study.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the prevalence and causes of uncorrectable visual impairment in the Kandy District of central Sri Lanka.


METHODS
Population-based, cross-sectional study.


METHODS
Inhabitants >or=40 years of age from villages in the Kandy District were selected by randomized cluster sampling; 1721 eligible participants were identified and 1375 participated in the study.


METHODS
The ophthalmic examination included best-corrected logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution visual acuity (VA), slit-lamp examination of the anterior segment, and dilated stereoscopic fundus examination. The principal cause of visual impairment after best correction was recorded.


METHODS
Visual impairment (better eye <6/18) and blindness (better eye <3/60) after best correction.


RESULTS
Comprehensive examinations, including VA, were performed on 1375 subjects (79.9% participation rate). The prevalence of blindness was 1.1% (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.002-0.020; 15 participants). The prevalence of visual impairment was 5.9% (95% CI, 0.043-0.075; 81 subjects). Cataract and age-related macular degeneration were the main causes of visual impairment.


CONCLUSIONS
Visual impairment remains a major public health problem in central Sri Lanka. Specific programs directed at reducing the cataract burden need to be implemented.


BACKGROUND
The authors have no proprietary or commercial interest in any materials discussed in this article.
Edussuriya
Kapila
K
Department of Ophthalmology, General Hospital, Kandy, Sri Lanka.
Sennanayake
Saman
S
Senaratne
Tissa
T
Marshall
Drew
D
Sullivan
Thomas
T
Selva
Dinesh
D
Casson
Robert J
RJ
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001766:Blindness / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005128:Eye Diseases / Q000150:complications; D005260:Female; D006302:Health Services Research; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016017:Odds Ratio; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D012424:Rural Population / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D013188:Sri Lanka / Q000453:epidemiology; D015354:Vision, Low / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology*; D014792:Visual Acuity; D019987:Persons with Visual Disabilities / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*