Search

BACKGROUND: This study was undertaken to ascertain the current magnitude and causes of blindness and visual impairment in persons aged 50 years and over and to assess the impact of a 10-year eye care program in Sokoto State, Nigeria. METHODS: A rapid assessment of avoidable blindness (RAAB) survey (in persons 50 years and over) was conducted in 2016. Participants were selected in Wurno health zone using a two-stage cluster randomized sampling with probability proportional to size. Operational definitions were based on RAAB and World Health Organization eye examination record definitions. Eye care program documents were reviewed and data from a baseline survey undertaken in 2005 were reanalyzed. RESULTS: A response of 89.1% (2405 of 2700 participants) was obtained in the 2016 survey. With available correction, the unadjusted prevalence of blindness was 7.7% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 6.4, 8.9). The odds of blindness were 1.8 times higher in females than males (95% CI: 1.3, 2.4;P< 0.001). Major causes of blindness were cataract (48.9%) corneal disease (20.1%), glaucoma (10.3%), and uncorrected refractive error/aphakia (8.7%). The age- and sex-adjusted prevalence of blindness has declined from 11.6% (95% CI: 7.4, 17.0) in 2005 to 6.8% (95% CI: 5.6, 8.0%) in 2016. CONCLUSION: The blindness prevalence is high, and the major causes are avoidable in the health zone. The findings suggest that investments in the program over the last 10 years might have led to almost a halving in the prevalence of blindness in th e population. However, the small sample size of persons 50+ years from Wurno zone in the 2005 survey necessitate caution when comparing the 2005 and the 2016 surveys. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This study was designed to determine the rate and pattern of vitreo-retinal diseases at a tertiary eye care center in South-eastern Nigeria. Materials and Methods: The outpatient register at the Eye Clinic of the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital, Enugu, was retrospectively examined to identify all new patients registered between January 2004 and December 2008. A chart review of subjects with vitreo-retinal disease was conducted to record relevant demographic and clinical data including the needs for vitreo-retinal care. Descriptive and analytical statistics were performed. A P-value <0.001 (one degree of freedom) was considered statistically significant. Results: Of the 8,239 new patients reported during the period, 326 subjects (males- 59.3%; females- 40.7%; sex ratio = 1.1:1) aged 49.3 ± 16.8 years (range 3-82 years) had vitreo-retinal disease. The rate of vitreo-retinal disease was 3.9%. The rate was higher in subjects above 40 years old (P < 0.001), but did not differ between sexes (P = 0.469). Diabetic retinopathy (24.9%), hypertensive retinopathy (13.3%), and age-related macular degeneration (10.7%) were the leading vitreo-retinal diseases. Blindness from vitreo-retinal disease was bilateral in 6.1% of subjects and unilateral in 17.5% of subjects. The common co-morbidities were ocular conditions such as refractive error (19.8%), cataract (14.2%), and glaucoma (10.4%); and systemic conditions such as diabetes mellitus (14.6%) and hypertension (13.2%). Conclusions: The rate of vitreo-retinal diseases among new ophthalmic outpatients at UNTH, Enugu, is 3.9%. Retinal vascular disorders and age-related maculopathy are the leading retinal diseases. At UNTH, resource needs for vitreo-retinal care are urgent including retinal photography/angiography, laser photocoagulation, intra-vitreal pharmacotherapy, and vitreo-retinal surgery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]