A prospective comparative study was undertaken to determine the preval
ence of significant astigmatism in school entrants living in the same
area of East London, Thirty-one Bangladeshi and thirty-one white schoo
l entrants were refracted in two local state schools, In the Banglades
hi group, 7 right and 5 left eyes had more than 1 dioptre of astigmati
sm. Most of this astigmatism was with the rule. In the white group, 1
left eye had more than 1 dioptre of astigmatism, This study has shown
a statistically significant incidence of astigmatism in an ethnic grou
p in East London, This difference between two racial groups living in
the same area of East London has not previously been documented, In ou
r study, Bangladeshi school entrants may be at greater risk of amblyop
ia if their refractive error is not identified and corrected.