Refractive errors and visual acuity impairment among self-selected Hispanic, white, and black adults examined by the UCLA Mobile Eye Clinic.

Background: Occurrence of refractive errors and uncorrected visual acuity impairment among self-selected, indigent, medically underserved Hispanic, white, and black adults examined by the staff of the UCLA Mobile Eye Clinic (MEC) are described in this study and compared to population-based studies.

Methods: The study sample consisted of all 2,970 Hispanic, 1,228 white, and 1,028 black participants, for a total of 5,226 self-selected adults, ages 25 to 74 years, who received vision screenings and eye examinations by the staff of the UCLA MEC from 1987 to 1997. Tests consisted of visual acuity, refractive error, intraocular pressure, retinoscopy, slit-lamp biomicroscopy, direct ophthalmoscopic examination, and indirect ophthalmoloscopy with pupillary dilation. Levels of visual acuity impairment were defined as mild (20/50-20/80), moderate (20/100), or severe (20/200 or worse) in either eye.

Results: Self-selected whites in this study had higher rates of astigmatism, anisometropia, and hyperopia, while myopia was higher among self-selected blacks. Myopia and hyperopia occurred more frequently among younger age groups for all ethnic groups. Whites had a higher occurrence of mild, moderate, and severe visual acuity impairment, as compared with Hispanics and blacks.

Conclusions: Both refractive errors and impaired visual acuity of this self-selected sample are similar to those of adults from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, Hispanic Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, and the Baltimore Eye Survey. The data presented in this study provide a crude estimate of the occurrence of refractive errors and impaired visual acuity among self-selected, medically underserved, indigent Hispanic, white, and black adults in the Los Angeles area.