Visual Impairment and Ocular Morbidity Among Adults in a Displaced Population from Sri Lanka Residing in Villupuram District, Tamil Nadu: A Comparative Study

Background: Visual impairment and ocular morbidity are important public health problems especially among adults who have limited access to eye care. Displaced populations have additional barriers in accessing eye health services. This study assessed visual impairment and ocular morbidity among adults aged ≥40 years in a rural coastal area of Villupuram district, TamilNadu and also compared displaced and non-displaced populations. Methods: A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted from October 2017 to August 2019 among 990 adults aged ≥40 years. Among them, 330 belonged to the displaced population and 660 to the non-displaced population. Data were collected using a pretested structured questionnaire, visual acuity assessment and ocular examination were done. Chi-square and Fisher’s exact tests were used to test the association and multivariate logistic regression was performed to identify factors associated with visual impairment. Results: Visual impairment was present in 441 (44.5%) participants and blindness in 63 (6.4%). Near vision impairment was present in 419 (42.3%), while cataract was observed in 381 (39.8%). Only 264 (26.7%) participants had undergone an eye examination prior. Visual impairment was present in 41.5% of the displaced and in 46.0% of the non-displaced population. However there was no significant difference (p=0.175). Near vision impairment was significantly lower among the displaced population (15.4% vs 56.0%, p=0.001). Conclusion: A considerable burden of visual impairment and ocular morbidity was observed in the study population, despite low utilization of eye-care services. Community-based screening, health education and timely referral are needed to identify and manage visual problems.