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Introduction: Visual impairment has a silent chronic course which has a significant impact on the quality of life but is often a preventable community problem. Comprehensive assessment of ophthalmic outcomes should include not only the objective measurement but also the subjective perception of vision loss on vision function. Aim: To estimate the proportion of visual impairment and perceived visual functioning and also to find out the factors, if any associated with it, among women aged18-59 years in a slum of Kolkata. Methodology: It was a community-based cross-sectional study conducted among 153 women aged 18-59 years residing in a slum of Chetla, which is under the urban field practice area of All India Institute of Hygiene & Public Health, Kolkata within 3 months of duration (Mar - May 2017). Results: In the present study, 49(32%) study subjects were visually impaired among which 3(2%) were blind. 42.4% of study subjects' perceived poor visual function. Logistic regression showed aged 40 years and above, below and primary educational level, non-working, who had eye checkup and diabetic had higher odds of visual impairment and perceived poor visual function whereas after adjustment, diabetic status lost its significance. Conclusion: Eye care programmes in our country still have curative approach; it must shift towards preventive approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is among the fourth leading cause of blindness in India after cataract, refractive errors and glaucoma. Aim and Objective: To find out magnitude and determinants of blinding AMD among patients presenting at a tertiary level eye care centre in Dehradun with this condition. Material and methods: This was a study of eye patients above age 45 years seen from July 2010 to October 2013. After taking preliminary information, optometrist noted the best-corrected vision. Ophthalmologists examined eyes using a slit-lamp bio-microscope. AMD was confirmed by fluorescein angiography and optical coherence tomography. The age, sex, history of smoking, sun exposure, family history of AMD, diet, body mass index (BMI), history of hypertension, dyslipidemia and diabetes were noted. Results: Of the 14,698 patients seen, 221 had AMD (dry or wet) in at least one eye, the overall proportion of AMD being 1.50%. Of all AMD patients, 103 had blinding wet AMD (46.61%).Further analysis revealed that old age (71-80 years), male sex and history of hypertension, diabetes etc were significant risk factors of wet AMD. Of the 221 patients with AMD, nearly a third, that is 71 patients (32.13%) had visual acuity of better eye < 3/60, which was taken as criteria for blindness. Conclusions: AMD does not seem to be a problem of public health magnitude in the study area. Age, being male, history of hypertension, diabetes etc are significant risk factors for wet AMD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]