Prevalence and predictor of undercorrected refractive error in the Victorian population Original Reearch Article

PURPOE: To invetigate the prevalence and predictor of undercorrected refractive error in the Victorian population. METHOD: In thi propective tudy, a population-baed ample of reident wa recruited. The improvement in viual acuity with ubjective refraction wa aeed. everal individual characteritic were invetigated a predictor of undercorrected refractive error. REULT: There were 5,615 eligible reident, of which 4,735 (84%) participated in the tudy (53% were women). In all, 466 participant (10%) had ignificant undercorrected refractive error leading to an improvement of 1 or more line of viual acuity with refraction. Age wa the mot important predipoing factor. The rik of undercorrected refractive error increaed by 1.8 time for every decade of life tarting at 40 year of age. The next mot important factor wa the abence of ditance refractive correction. Thee individual were 6.8 time more at rik compared with thoe who wore ditance pectacle. Other ignificant predictor of undercorrected refractive error were the preence of cataract and European or Middle Eatern language poken at home. People with tertiary education or hypermetropia were le likely to need refractive error improvement. Gender, country of birth, and employment tatu did not have any tatitically ignificant effect after controlling for confounder. CONCLUION: The reult of thi tudy dicloe people in the community who are more at rik of compromiing their viion becaue of undercorrected refractive error. A campaign i warranted to alert people that it may be poible to improve their viion.