BLINDNESS AND VISUAL IMPAIRMENT IN ANAMBRA STATE, NIGERIA

A study of all new patients seen over a 12-month period in a teaching hospital eye clinic in anambra State, Nigeria shows that 257 out of 820 (31.3%) had low vision in at least one eye. Of the 257 patients, 36 (14%) had bilateral blindness, 71 (27.6%) had uniocular blindness and 181 (70%) had visual impairment in at least one eye. Cataract (33.3%), glaucoma (22.2%) and macular degeneration (11%) were the leading causes of bilateral blindness. The major causes of monocular blindness were cataract (28.2%), glaucoma (21%), trauma (16.9%) and ocular infections (9.9%). Visual impairment was caused mainly by cataract (33.2%), uncorrected refractive errors (19.5%), glaucoma (15.5%) and infective keratoconjunctivitis 7%. A population-based blindness and visual impairment survey in the area is necessary. Also preventive and curative measures should be instituted to tackle the leading causes of blindness and visual impairment in the subregion.