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Legal blindness in Rethymnon: causes and prevalence
Author(s) -
CHRISTODOULAKIS EMM,
VRACHNIDIS ST,
KRIKONIS TH,
GODOLIAS ST,
CHLIVEROS K,
TROULI N
Publication year - 2010
Publication title -
acta ophthalmologica
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.534
H-Index - 87
eISSN - 1755-3768
pISSN - 1755-375X
DOI - 10.1111/j.1755-3768.2010.2446.x
Subject(s) - medicine , macular degeneration , glaucoma , visual acuity , ophthalmology , blindness , diabetic retinopathy , population , pediatrics , optometry , diabetes mellitus , endocrinology , environmental health
Purpose To report all cases with legal blindness in the prefecture of Rethymnon Crete, in the period of February 2009 – May 2010. Legal blindness in Greece is defined as best corrected visual acuity in both eyes less than 1/20 and has several social and economical issues. Methods Retrospective analysis of all cases presented at the external office of department of Ophthalmology of the General Hospital of Rethymnon, Crete, Greece. Social Services in Greece, accept certificates of blindness only from hospitals of the same prefecture, so our cases presented here, are all the cases of the Rethymnon prefecture for this period of time. Results In the period 2/2/2009 ‐ 30/5/2010 presented 107 patients asked for certificate of blindness, in the external Office of Ophthalmology department. 60 patients had best corrected visual acuity less than 1/20, 36 women and 24 men, with average age 82.6 years (std 12.7 years, 9 ‐ 95 years). Age‐related macular degeneration (ARMD) was the cause of blindness in 21 patients, glaucoma in 13 patients, diabetic retinopathy combined with ARMD in 4 patients; other causes were degenerative myopia, retinal occlusive disease, ocular trauma, retinoblastoma, endophthalmitis, optic nerve head atrophy or combinations of previous diseases. Conclusion Age‐related macular degeneration followed by glaucoma are the most common causes of legal blindness in the population of prefecture of Rethymnon