Methods for the Hong Kong Vision Study: a pilot assessment of visual impairment in adults

Introduction. The Hong Kong Vision Study (HKVS) was a pilot study to collect data on the prevalence of eye diseases and risk factors in Hong Kong using methodology comparable to that developed in America and Australia. Aim. The main goal was: to evaluate the application of the methodology in a different culture and language; and to determine the prevalence and risk factors of eye diseases in order to design a larger study of an ethnic Chinese population. Method. This study was patterned after the Melbourne Visual Impairment Project using the Chinese language in data collection and examinations. Conclusion. Well-designed methodology is transferable to different cultures, languages and continents. Use of similar methodology will enable better comparisons and analyses to be made from population-based data.