Self-reported eye disease in elderly South Asian subjects from an inner city cluster in Bradford: a small-scale study to investigate knowledge and awareness of ocular disease.

Abstract

To investigate various issues relating to eye diseases in a sample of 200 South Asian residents living in an inner city regional cluster in Bradford. Door to door interviews were carried out by one investigator who spoke English, Punjabi and Urdu. Visual acuity and pinhole acuity were measured using a portable LogMAR acuity chart. A structured questionnaire investigated various issues including self-reported eye disease, knowledge of eye disease, the effectiveness of various sources for eye-related information, the importance of early detection of eye diseases and the need for adequate control of systemic diseases linked to eye diseases such as diabetes. Data revealed poor knowledge of self-reported eye diseases and of the importance of early detection and inadequate knowledge of the link between the control of systemic disease such as diabetes and ocular complications. Language barrier problems and poor utilisation of available ocular health care services were also evident. These data, although not exhaustive, give an insight into various factors that affect the ocular health of the South Asian community in Bradford.