Visual Disability in Ebola Survivors

Visual disability following the Ebola epidemic is one aspect which is amenable to quantifiable assessment with defined definitions of visual impairment. In Jagadesh et al [1] Ebola survivors (n=27) describe major limitations in vision and a higher odds of self-reported blurred vision (aOR=7.6; CI 2.0-27.9) in comparison to their close contacts (n=54) using the Washington Group Disability Extended Questionnaire (WG S-F). Our recent study [2] recalled survivors (n=82) from the 34 Military Hospital Survivors clinic who had previously reported ocular symptoms, in addition to Ebola survivors who self-presented to the eye clinic with a median time from Ebola treatment unit discharge over one year (411 days (IQR 368-470 days). We reported their best eye visual acuity was normal (uncorrected Snellen visual acuity <6/7.5) in 74.7% (97.5% CI 62.1-84.9) of survivors in this cohort. Moderate or worse visual acuity (uncorrected Snellen visual acuity >6/24) in their best eye was only found in 2.6% (97.5% CI 0-7.8).