title: Spectacle coverage and spectacles use among elderly population in residential care in the south Indian state of Andhra Pradesh.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  There is limited research conducted on uncorrected refractive errors, presbyopia, and spectacles use among the elderly population in residential care in developing countries such as India. We conducted a cross-sectional study among elderly in residential care to assess the spectacle coverage and spectacles usage in the south Indian state of Andhra Pradesh.
  
  
  METHODS
  All 524 residents in the 26 "homes for aged" institutions in the district were enumerated. Eye examination was performed that included visual acuity (VA) assessment for distant and near vision. A questionnaire was used to collect information on spectacles use.
  
  
  RESULTS
  494/524 individuals were examined, 78% were women, and 72% had no education. The mean age of participants was 70 years. The spectacle coverage for refractive errors was 35.1% and 23.9% for presbyopia. The prevalence of current use and past use of spectacles was 38.5% (95% CI: 34.2-42.8; n = 190) and 17.2% (95% CI: 13.9-42.8), respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  There is low spectacle coverage for both refractive errors and presbyopia among elderly individuals in residential care in the south Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. Appropriate service delivery systems should be developed to reach out this vulnerable group of seniors on a priority basis.
authors.affiliation: Allen Foster Community Eye Health Research Centre, International Centre for Advancement of Rural Eye care, L V Prasad Eye Institute, L V Prasad Marg, Banjara Hills, Hyderabad 500 034, India. srioptom@lvpei.org
authors.forename: Srinivas
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Marmamula
authors.forename: L V Chandra Sekhar
authors.initials: LV
authors.lastname: Ravuri
authors.forename: Mei Ying
authors.initials: MY
authors.lastname: Boon
authors.forename: Rohit C
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Khanna
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D005139:Eyeglasses / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006699:Home Care Services / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D007194:India / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D011305:Presbyopia / Q000453:epidemiology; D012030:Refractive Errors / Q000453:epidemiology