The British Asian Community Eye Study: Outline of results on the prevalence of eye disease in British Asians with origins from the Indian subcontinent

BACKGROUND: Asians from the Indian Subcontinent form the largest ethnic minority in the United Kingdom. Data on the prevalence of visually-impairing eye conditions in this population are vital for planning eye health care services. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This survey was based in the two London boroughs with the largest Asian populations. Subjects originating from the Indian Subcontinent were identified from GP practice records. All subjects were asked about demographic details and were given a full ophthalmological examination. The severity of cataract, glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy, and age-related maculopathy was recorded. Blindness was defined as logMAR visual acuity of 0.99 (Snellen equivalence 20/200 in the better eye) or worse, ‘low vision’ was defined as Snellen equivalence of 20/63 or worse (logMAR 0.5 or higher), and visual impairment was defined as visual acuity worse than 20/40. RESULTS: The median age was 56 years. Two hundred and eighty four subjects did not attend for eye examination. Of the 922 examined, 128 subjects (13.9%) were ‘visually impaired,’ 39 (4.2%) had ‘low vision,’ and 6 (0.7%) were bilaterally blind. The overall prevalence of cataract, open-angle glaucoma, age-related macular degeneration, and diabetic retinopathy were 77%, 1.0%, 8.7%, and 8.8%, respectively. CONCLUSION: Visual impairment rates amongst Asians seem to be similar to Caucasian populations in the UK. The prevalence of cataract and diabetic retinopathy is higher, while the risk of ARMD and OAG are comparable. In view of the high cataract prevalence, a more detailed assessment of the visual profile and factors limiting healthcare accessibility in this community are needed.