Prevalence and causes of visual impairment and blindness in Lao People's Democratic Republic: the Vientiane Eye Study.

Aims: To determine the prevalence and causes of visual impairment and blindness in Vientiane Province, the Lao People's Democratic Republic (Lao PDR).

Methods: We conducted a population-based, cross-sectional study of 1264 participants aged 40 years and older from urban and rural areas of Vientiane Province. The ophthalmic examination included presenting and pinhole Snellen visual acuity (VA) with an illiterate E chart, slit-lamp examination of the anterior segment and dilated stereoscopic fundus examination.