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Aims: To determine the perception and acceptance of COVID-19 vaccination among patients in a tertiary eye hospital. Study Design: A cross-sectional hospital-based study. Place and Duration of Study: Guinness Eye Centre Onitsha, South-East Nigeria between 1st to 29th June 2021 Methodology: An interviewer-administered semi-structured pretested questionnaire on sociodemographic, knowledge, perception and acceptance on coronavirus disease and its vaccine was used to collect data on eligible patients. Data obtained was analyzed with SPSS version 23 (IBM Corporation, Armonk, NY, USA). Descriptive statistics including frequency tables, mean and standard deviation was used to present categorical variables. Results: A total of 386 patients were interviewed comprising 157 (40.7%) males and 229(59.3%) females, and aged 18 to 93 years (mean age of 44.73±18.49 years). Two hundred and fifty-eight (66.8%) patients knew of COVID-19 vaccine availability in Nigeria, with 90 (34.9%) not knowing where they could obtain the vaccine. Only 34 (8.8%) had taken the vaccine. Uptake of COVID-19 vaccine is strongly associated with patient’s perception of COVID-19 being real (P=0.006), patients trust in the information head about the vaccine (P=0.001), and their trust on the efficacy and safety of the COVID-19 vaccine (P˂0.001). Acceptance of COVID-19 vaccine is not significantly associated with their faith in the previous human vaccinations(P=0.076). Conclusion: The uptake of COVID-19 vaccine in the study group is low. Therefore, there is an urgent need for re-strategizing on various ways to enlighten the public and widen the scope of information dissemination.

Objectives: To determine the epidemiology and management outcome of preseptal cellulitis seen at a tertiary eye hospital within a period of 13 years. Materials and Methods: The case files of all patients seen with preseptal cellulitis from 2005 to 2017 were reviewed. The information obtained included the patients’ demography, presenting symptoms and signs, research, treatment, outcome, complications and follow-up. Results: Of the 123 patients with preseptal cellulitis reported on the study, 66 were males and 57 females. In a range of 0 to 80 years old, the mean age was 19 years. The commonest predisposing factor was trauma (20.3%) followed by upper respiratory tract infection (11.4%). Progression to orbital cellulitis was seen in 11.4% of the patients. Conclusion: Preseptal cellulitis is not uncommon in adults as seen in previous studies. Trauma is now more common than sinusitis as a predisposing factor. Despite oral antibiotic therapy some cases may progress to orbital cellulitis.

Introduction: Sickle Cell Disease (SCD) is an inherited haemolytic disorder that affects virtually all body systems including the eye. Ocular complications of SCD could have dire consequences if not detected early. Objectives: We aimed at determining the prevalence of ocular complications of SCD in our patients. Methods: This study was carried out on patients attending both the adult and Paediatric Sickle cell disease clinic at Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu Teaching Hospital, Akwa, Anambra State, Nigeria, over an 8 month period. A structured questionnaire was administered to consenting patients to determine their sociodemographic variables and other characteristics. Visual acuity was determined with multiple optotype Snellen’s chart at 6 metres in natural daylight. Using pen-torch, the face, external eye examination, anterior segment examination and pupillary reaction to light were assessed. Magnified anterior segment examination was performed with slit-lamp biomicroscope. All subjects underwent dilated fundoscopy (after instillation of tropicamide 0.5% eye drop) using Welch Allyn indirect ophthalmoscope. Results were analysed using SPSS version 22.0 Inc Chicago Illinois and represented in tables. Statistically significant P value was set at < 0.05. Results: A total of 28 patients with age range of 6-42 years were seen. 17 (60.7%) were males, while 11 (39.3%) were females. 8 (28.6%) had at least one ocular anomaly comprising of refractory errors 3 (10.8%), sickle cell retinopathy 4 (14.3%) and glaucoma 2 (7.1%). Only 2 (7.1%) routinely visit eye clinic. SCD retinopathy was found to increase with age (P value= 0.005). Conclusion: SCD retinopathy was found more in the older age group despite the small sample size at a prevalence rate of 14.3%. Early initiation of routine ocular examination for SCD patients will be beneficial to avert these complications. More efforts should be made at educating the patients. Larger studies will be required to determine the actual prevalence of ocular anomaly in SCD patients in Anambra State.

Bacteria are the major contributor of ocular infections worldwide. This can damage the structures of the eye with possible blindness and visual impairments, if left untreated. This study was undertaken to determine bacterial agents of conjunctivitis among individuals from onchocerciasis endemic area in Anambra State, Nigeria. This was a cross-sectional study involving ninety-two (92) randomly recruited test subjects undergoing ivermectin therapy aged between 11-80 years with signs and symptoms of onchocerciasis infection and bacterial conjunctivitis at Isu-Anaocha community in Anambra state between October and November, 2016. Ninety-two (92) apparently healthy subjects without signs and symptoms of onchocerciasis and bacterial conjunctivitis with normal vision, within the age of 11-80 years from the same community were used as control subjects, making a total of 184 participants. Visual acuity test was conducted on the participants using Snellen’s alphabet chart and illiterate E chart. Phenotypic and antibiotic susceptibility tests of these isolates were carried out according to Kirby - Bauer disc diffusion method guidelines. In the test group, 22 out of 92 conjunctival samples yielded bacterial growth, giving percentage prevalence of 23.9%, with age group 41-50 years having the highest frequency 7(31.8%) among individuals co-infected with onchocerciasis infection whereas 72 out of 92 conjunctival samples in the control group yielded bacterial growth giving percentage prevalence of 78.3%, with age group 41-50 years having the highest frequency 35(37.2%) among individuals that had no signs and symptoms of onchocerciasis infection. The predominant bacteria isolated was Staphylococcus aureus 8(36%) in the test group and 20 (28%) in the control group, giving a total of 28 (30%). Other bacterial isolates were Streptococcus pneumoniae 17 (18%), Staph. epidermidis 15 (16%), Escherichia coli 13(14%), Pseudomonas aeruginosa 12(13%) and Salmonella spp. 9(9%). Antibiotic susceptibility testing showed that Gentamicin and fluoroquinolones are most active against Gram positive bacteria in conjunctivitis while Augmentin was found to be the most active against Gram negative organisms, therefore, recommended as first line drug. Visual acuity (VA) test done on the test group showed that 52 (57%) persons had normal vision, 20 (22%) had mild visual impairment, 15 (16%) had moderate visual impairment, 5(5%) had severe visual impairment but none was blind. All forms of visual impairment are not wholly attributable to bacterial conjunctivitis as some could be due to ageing and uncorrected refractive errors.

Introduction: Glaucoma is a group of optic neuropathies and the leading cause of irreversible blindness worldwide. Primary open angle glaucoma is the commonest type of glaucoma. In affected people, optic nerve fibres are damaged with ensuing loss and raised intraocular pressure in some sufferers. Aim/objectives: To increase knowledge and understanding for improved care of primary open angle glaucoma patients. Method: This was a retrospective study of consecutive 167 hospital patients presenting in Guinness Eye Center Onitsha over a period of February to December 2018 who were diagnosed as having primary open angle glaucoma. Relevant clinical data were studied. Descriptive and correlation statistics were used to ascertain significance of features detected. Results: The patients were 87 (52.1%) males and 80 (47.9%) females. The age range was 17 to 76 years (Mean of 56.4 ± 3.02 years). Mean duration of disease before presentation was 30.4 ± 5.9 months. Visual acuity at presentation was less than 3/60 in 121 (36.2%) eyes. Intra-ocular pressure mean was 26.6 ± 1.6mmHg. The mean of Cup to optic disc ratio is 0.77 ± 0.2. The visual field loss was total or advanced in 69.6%. Using Pearson’s correlation 2-tailed test: cup/disc ratio correlates with duration of presenting symptoms in months at p=0.05, and with intra-ocular pressure at P= 0.01 On non-parametric correlation, using Spearman’s rho 2-tailed test, at p= 0.5, duration of presenting symptoms correlates with age; and at P = 0.01 cup/disc ratio correlates with level of intraocular pressure Conclusion: Primary open angle glaucoma present at an advanced stage of the disease. Advocacy is needed for dissemination of information about this disease and where to get care.

Aim: To elucidate the psychological effects of eye diseases on ophthalmic patients seen in a tertiary eye hospital in order to help eyecare professionals develop policies and counselling programs to support the mental health and care of the patients. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional descri-ptive study on ophthalmic patients in a tertiary eye centre using a pretested interviewer-administered, semi-structured questionnaire. Information sought included sociodemographic, knowledge of eye diseases, fears concerning eye disease, emotional reaction to the current ocular illness and the effect of ocular health status on their quality of life. Detailed ocular examination was done. Data obtained was analysed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 23 software. Results: A total of 243 patients were interviewed and examined. There were 111(45.7%) males and 132(54.3%) females. Age range was 16 to 90 years (Mean age of 44.2 ± 18.1 years). Defective vision 127(52.3%) and ocular pain/discomfort 113(46.5%) were the commonest presenting symptoms; while ocular surface diseases 83(34.2%) and ametropia 55(22.6%) were the commonest diagnosis recorded. Forty (16.5%) patients were blind (presenting visual acuity