Prevalence of cataract in well water drinking rural population in India

Aim:The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of cataract in well water drinking areas of India. Method:We did a cross-sectional study of 9245 persons aged 40 years and more who were examined at eye camps held across the well water drinking areas of the Raigad and Osmanabad districts of Maharashtra, India and were considered to be the representative population. All eyes were examined by a single observer during eye camps and vision was recorded using Snellen's chart and patients with poor visual acuity were examined by direct and indirect ophthalmoscope and lenses were graded and classified for opacities, using the Lens Opacification Classification System II.Results: The age-related cataract patients were 3034 cases. The prevalence of age-related cataract was 30.72% in women and in 34.91% in men. The prevalence of nuclear cataract was 39.1%; cortical cataract was 18.5% and posterior sub capsular cataract was 2.2%. 45% of patients were identified with brown pigmented cataracts. There was also a higher prevalence of pseudo exfoliation syndrome than reported in literature. The prevalence of cataract of the 40 to 50 group was 11.15%; 50-59 group was 14.32%; 60-69 group was 25.85%; 70 and over group was 48.68%.A majority of patients(63.3%) presented with mature cataracts. 2 % of patients presented with subluxation or dislocation of the cataractous lens.