A total of 268 elderly persons living in eight nursing homes in northern Finland (participation rate 100%) were examined by an ophthalmologist in 1980-1983 in order to describe visual acuity and the occurrence of refractive errors. Uncorrected distant visual acuity in the better eye was less than 0.4 in 76% of the men and 68% of the women, being worse in older subjects than in younger ones. Uncorrected near visual acuity in the better eye was less than 0.1 in 24% of the men and 25% of the women. Hyperopia was found in 78% of the men and 77-78% of the women and myopia in 14-15% of the men and 15-16% of the women. Hyperopia decreased and myopia increased with age. Astigmatism was uncommon and its prevalence figure was not related to sex or age. Only 3% of men and 5% of women were emmetropic. We may conclude that uncorrected distant visual acuity of the population was low, and three out of every four men and two out of every three women were unable to manage their daily activities without difficulties due to the low visual acuity. Also uncorrected near visual acuity was low, and one out of every four persons was practically blind.