Distance and near vision impairment and its impact on work productivity among garment industry workers in Hyderabad, Telangana, India

We report the prevalence and impact of distance-vision (DVI) and near-vision impairment (NVI) among garment workers from a longitudinal study in Hyderabad, Telangana in India. Make-shift clinics were set up in five garment factories, and 1361 participants aged 18 years or older were examined. Presenting visual acuity (PVA) and best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) for distance and near were evaluated. DVI was defined as PVA < 6/12 in the better eye, and NVI was defined as binocular near-vision < N6 at 40 cm among those without DVI and aged ≥ 40 years. The Work Productivity and Activity Impairment questionnaire visual analogue score was used to measure the effect of DVI and NVI on work productivity, with higher scores indicating greater impact. Among those examined, 25.6% were aged ≥ 40 years, and 87.0% were women. The prevalence of DVI was 6.9% (95% CI:5.6–8.4), and the prevalence of NVI was 52.4% (95% CI:47.1–57.8). The impact on work productivity was significantly higher in individuals with DVI compared to those without DVI (12.6 versus 8.8; p = 0.04). Scores were also higher for those with NVI than for those without NVI (13.3 versus 7.7; p < 0.01). DVI and NVI are common among garment industry workers, significantly affecting their productivity. Regular eye exams at the workplace can be beneficial.