Quality of eyeglass prescriptions from a low-cost wavefront autorefractor evaluated in rural India: results of a 708-participant field study.

Objective: To assess the quality of eyeglass prescriptions provided by an affordable wavefront autorefractor operated by a minimally trained technician in a low-resource setting.

Methods And Analysis: 708 participants were recruited from consecutive patients registered for routine eye examinations at Aravind Eye Hospital in Madurai, India, or an affiliated rural satellite vision centre. Visual acuity (VA) and patient preference were compared between trial lenses set to two eyeglass prescriptions from (1) a novel wavefront autorefractor and (2) subjective refraction by an experienced refractionist.

Cluster randomized trial to compare spectacle delivery systems at outreach eye camps in South India.

Purpose: To study the optimal method for delivery of spectacles at eye camps to maximize procurement and use.

Methods: A cluster randomized controlled trial, undertaken in the catchment districts of Aravind Eye Hospital - Theni, in the state of Tamil Nadu, India. Community eye camps (n = 21) were allocated to offer one of three types of service for purchase of spectacles to correct refractive error: (1) Issuance of a prescription only; (2) booking orders for spectacles with subsequent delivery; (3) on-the-spot fitting and dispensing of spectacles.

Gender issues in a cataract surgical population in South India.

Purpose: To investigate patterns and characteristics of men and women who used different cataract surgery payment streams in a South Indian hospital.

Methods: We randomly sampled patients with age-related cataract aged 40 years and over from three routine cataract surgical service streams: walk-in paying, walk-in subsidized and free camp. Presenting visual acuity (VA) and cataract surgical details were obtained from routine hospital records.

Association of VEGF and eNOS gene polymorphisms in type 2 diabetic retinopathy.

Purpose: Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is a major mediator of angiogenesis, and nitric oxide (NO) is an upstream and downstream regulator of VEGF mediated angiogenesis. VEGF and NO have been suggested to play an important role in the pathogenesis of microvascular complications in diabetic retinopathy (DR). The objective of this study was to examine the genetic variations of the VEGF and eNOS gene and assess their possible relationship to DR in type 2 diabetic patients in the Indian population.