As the demographic transition leads to progressive population ageing globally, this phenomenon coupled with decreases in the burden of infectious disease and subnutrition in the developing world will directly impact on the epidemiology of eye disease. It is expected that while age related cataract will continue to be the leading cause of visual impairment globally, the prevalence of other age related conditions such as primary open angle glaucoma (OAG), macular degeneration, and diabetic retinopathy will increase.¹ Therefore, age related eye disease will grow in importance, both from clinical and public health perspectives. In spite of this, wide gaps still exist in our knowledge about the epidemiology of ocular disease in many regions across the globe. Ongoing events in the Middle East focus the critical spotlight of world opinion on this region. It is therefore refreshing to learn that an enterprising group of researchers has successfully completed a major epidemiological study of eye disease, which promises to provide much welcomed new and important information (this issue of BJO, p 652). As a result of this body of work, we now …