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Survey of blindness in rural communities of south‐western Nigeria
Author(s) -
Adeoye Adenike
Publication year - 1996
Publication title -
tropical medicine and international health
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.056
H-Index - 114
eISSN - 1365-3156
pISSN - 1360-2276
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-3156.1996.tb00093.x
Subject(s) - phthisis bulbi , blindness , medicine , onchocerciasis , optometry , population , local government area , visual acuity , confidence interval , ophthalmology , geography , environmental health , local government , archaeology , pathology
Summary A population based survey of rural communities in the Akinlalu‐Ashipa ward of Ife North Local Government in Osun State, Nigeria, was conducted to determine the prevalence and causes of blindness. 2921 inhabitants were screened by a random cluster sample technique, out of whom 27 were blind in both eyes. The overall prevalence rate of blindness (best corrected visual acuity less than 3/60 in the better eye) was found to be 0.9% (95% confidence interval 0.84–0.96%). The rate of blindness increased with age, especially from age 60. The major causes of blindness were cataract and its sequelae (48.1%), onchocerciasis (14.8%), primary open angle type glaucoma (11.1%), corneal scar/phthisis bulbi (7.4%) and optic atrophy (7.4%). About half of the blindness is potentially curable through cataract surgery, and a third preventable through health education, early diagnosis and prompt treatment.