title: Visual difficulty and employment status in the world.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Using a world-wide, population-based dataset, we sought to examine the relationship between visual difficulty and employment status.
  
  
  METHODS
  The World Health Survey was conducted in 70 countries throughout the world in 2003 using a random, multi-stage, stratified, cluster sampling design. Far vision was assessed by asking about the level of difficulty in seeing and recognizing a person you know across the road (i.e. from a distance of about 20 meters). Responses included none, mild, moderate, severe, or extreme/unable. Participants were asked about their current job, and if they were not working, the reason why (unable to find job, ill health, homemaker, studies, unpaid work, other). The occupation in the last 12 months was obtained. Multinomial regression was used accounting for the complex survey design.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of those who wanted to work, 79% of those with severe visual difficulty and 64% of those with extreme visual difficulty were actually working. People who had moderate, severe, or extreme visual difficulty had a higher odds of not working due to an inability to find a job and of not working due to ill health after adjusting for demographic and health factors (P<0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  As the major causes of visual impairment in the world are uncorrected refractive error and cataract, countries are losing a great deal of labor productivity by failing to provide for the vision health needs of their citizens and failing to help them integrate into the workforce.
authors: Centre de Recherche, Hôpital Maisonneuve-Rosemont, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
authors: Hanen
authors: H
authors: Harrabi
authors: Centre de Recherche, Hôpital Maisonneuve-Rosemont, Montreal, Quebec, Canada ; Department of Ophthalmology, Université de Montréal, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
authors: Marie-Josee
authors: MJ
authors: Aubin
authors: Centre de Recherche de Centre Hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
authors: Maria Victoria
authors: MV
authors: Zunzunegui
authors: Centre de Recherche de Centre Hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
authors: Slim
authors: S
authors: Haddad
authors: Centre de Recherche, Hôpital Maisonneuve-Rosemont, Montreal, Quebec, Canada ; Department of Ophthalmology, Université de Montréal, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
authors: Ellen E
authors: EE
authors: Freeman
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D004651:Employment / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D014786:Vision Disorders; D019987:Persons with Visual Disabilities / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D055815:Young Adult