title: Prevalence of cataract surgery and visual outcomes in Indian immigrants in Singapore: the Singapore Indian eye study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the prevalence of cataract surgery and factors associated with post-surgical visual outcomes in migrant Indians living in Singapore.
  
  
  METHODS
  We conducted a population-based study in 3,400 Indian immigrants residing in Singapore-the Singapore Indian Eye Study (SINDI). All participants underwent comprehensive medical eye examination and a standardized interview. Post-operative visual impairment (VI) was defined as best-corrected or presenting visual acuity (BCVA or PVA) of 20/60 or worse.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The age- and gender-standardized prevalence of cataract surgery was 9.7% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 8.9%, 10.7%) in Singapore resident Indians. Post-operative VI defined by BCVA occurred in 10.9% eyes (87/795). The main causes of post-operative VI were diabetic retinopathy (20.7%), posterior capsular opacification (18.4%), and age-related macular degeneration (12.6%). Undercorrected refractive error doubled the prevalence of post-operative VI when PVA was used.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The rate of cataract surgery is about 10% in Indian residents in Singapore. Socioeconomic variables and migration had no significant impact on the prevalence of cataract surgery. Diabetic retinopathy was a major cause of post-operative VI in migrant Indians living in Singapore. Uncorrected postoperative refractive error remains an efficient way to improve vision.
authors.affiliation: Singapore Eye Research Institute and Singapore National Eye Centre, Singapore, Singapore.
authors.forename: Preeti
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Gupta
authors.forename: Yingfeng
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zheng
authors.forename: Tay Wan
authors.initials: TW
authors.lastname: Ting
authors.forename: Ecosse L
authors.initials: EL
authors.lastname: Lamoureux
authors.forename: Ching-Yu
authors.initials: CY
authors.lastname: Cheng
authors.forename: Tien-Yin
authors.initials: TY
authors.lastname: Wong
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002386:Cataract / Q000150:complications; D002387:Cataract Extraction / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D003930:Diabetic Retinopathy / Q000150:complications; D054242:Emigrants and Immigrants / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007194:India / Q000208:ethnology; D008268:Macular Degeneration / Q000150:complications; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011184:Postoperative Period; D015995:Prevalence; D012846:Singapore / Q000453:epidemiology; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014786:Vision Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis*; D019987:Persons with Visual Disabilities / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*