uncorrected refractive errors and glass coverage in tehran

purpose: to determine the prevalence of uncorrected refractive errors and its determinants in tehran in 2002. methods: a total of 6497 citizens representing a cross-section of the population of tehran were sampled using a stratified random cluster sampling strategy. of these, 4565 (70.3%) subjects participated in the study and were transferred to a clinic for an extensive eye examination and interview. the data obtained from 4354 participants aged five years and over are presented. the unmet need for eye glasses (the ratio of subjects who did not wear spectacles and had an uncorrected visual acuity worse than 20/40 in the better eye which improved to 20/40 or better with correction), the met need for eye glasses (the ratio of subjects with an uncorrected visual acuity worse than 20/40 in the better eye which improved to 20/40 or better with glasses), and glass coverage (met need/met + unmet need for eye glass) with 95% confidence interval (95% ci) were estimated. results: the age- and gender- standardized prevalence of need for eye glasses was 14.1% (95% ci: 12.8-15.4). in 416 subjects (9.3%, ci: 10.4-12.8) the refractive error has been corrected with spectacles (met need), while 230 subjects (4.8%, 95% ci: 4.1 to 5.4) had an unmet need. the spectacle coverage rate was 66.0%. unmet needs were greater in older, less educated, and myopic subjects. conclusions: the prevalence of need for eye glasses in 5 years age or older population of tehran is considerable and more than one-third of this need is not met properly. older age, less education, and myopia are determinant factors of low glass-coverage.