Utilisation of eyecare services in an urban population in southern India: the Andhra Pradesh eye disease study

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Abstract
AIM To assess utilisation of eyecare services by people with visual impairment <6/18 or equivalent visual field loss in the better eye in the urban population of Hyderabad in southern India. METHODS 2522 subjects of all ages, representative of the population of Hyderabad city, underwent a detailed interview and dilated examination as part of the population based Andhra Pradesh eye disease study. Subjects more than 15 years of age were interviewed regarding the use of eyecare services. RESULTS Of 250 subjects with presenting distance visual acuity <6/18 or equivalent visual field loss in the better eye, information on utilisation of eyecare services was available for 229 (91.6%). Of these 229 subjects, 44 (19%) had visual acuity 15 years of age in India, there may be 4.9 million (95% confidence interval 4.3–5.5 million) people in urban India who are not seeking treatment for their visual impairment even after noticing decrease in vision. These data suggest that efforts have to be made to better understand the reasons for this phenomenon so that optimal utilisation of the available eyecare services in urban India can be planned.