Prevalence of visual impairment, cataract surgery and awareness of cataract and glaucoma in Bhaktapur district of Nepal: the Bhaktapur Glaucoma Study.

Cataract is the major cause of blindness worldwide. It is estimated that 41.8% of all global blindness is caused by cataract. Glaucoma is the second leading cause of visual loss in the world. Quigley estimates that there will be 60.5 million people with glaucoma in 2010 and Asians are expected to represent 47% of those with glaucoma. World Health Organization has estimated the prevalence of blindness amongst people over fifty years in South East Asia as 3.4%. Nepal Blindness Survey conducted in 1981 reported the overall prevalence of blindness in Nepal as 0.84% and in subjects more than 45 years of age as 3.8%. After this survey few population based studies have been undertaken in Nepal.