Prevalence of cataract surgery and visual outcomes in Indian immigrants in Singapore: the Singapore Indian eye study

• Published in: PloS one Vol. 8; no. 10; p. e75584
• Main Authors: Gupta, Preeti, Zheng, Yingfeng, Ting, Tay Wan, Lamoureux, Ecosse L, Cheng, Ching-Yu, Wong, Tien-Yin
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Public Library of Science 07.10.2013; Public Library of Science (PLoS)
• Subjects: Acuity; Adult; Age; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Cataract - complications; Cataract Extraction - statistics & numerical data; Cataracts; Confidence intervals; Diabetes; Diabetes mellitus; Diabetic retinopathy; Diabetic Retinopathy - complications; Emigrants and Immigrants - statistics & numerical data; Eye; Eye (anatomy); Eye examinations; Eye surgery; Female; Humans; Immigrants; India - ethnology; Industrialized nations; Macular degeneration; Macular Degeneration - complications; Male; Middle Aged; Migration; Noncitizens; People with disabilities; Population; Population studies; Postoperative Period; Prevalence; Research design; Retinopathy; Risk factors; Singapore - epidemiology; Social factors; Studies; Surgery; Treatment Outcome; Vision Disorders - diagnosis; Visual acuity; Visual aspects; Visually Impaired Persons - statistics & numerical data; Singapore; India; Beijing China; United States > US; China; Victoria Australia; Australia
• ISSN: 1932-6203; 1932-6203
• DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0075584

To determine the prevalence of cataract surgery and factors associated with post-surgical visual outcomes in migrant Indians living in Singapore. 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. 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. 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.