Causes of childhood blindness: Results from West Africa, South India and Chile

Abstract

Using World Health Organization definitions of visual loss and a standardised methodology, 905 children were examined in Chile, West Africa and South India. Of these 806 (89%) suffered from blindness (BL) or severe visual impairment (SVI). Causes of SVI and BL were classified anatomically and aetiologically, and avoidable causes identified. In W. Africa (n = 284) the major anatomical cause of SVI/BL was corneal scar/phthisis bulbi (35.9%). Retinal disease accounted for 20.4%, cataract 15.5% and glaucoma 13.0%. Aetiologically 33.8% of SVI/BL was due to childhood factors and 21.1% to hereditary disease. In S. India (n = 305) the major anatomical cause of SVI/BL was corneal scar/phthisis bulbi (38.4%). Retinal disease accounted for 22.6%, cataract 7.4% and glaucoma 3%. Aetiologically 37.0% of SVI/BL was due to childhood factors and 29.8% to hereditary disease. In Chile (n = 217) the major anatomical cause of SVI/BL was retinal disease (47.0%). Cataract accounted for 9.2%, glaucoma 8.3% and 6.9% was due to corneal pathology. Aetiologically 30.4% of SVI/BL was due to hereditary factors, and 20.8% to perinatal factors of which four-fifths (16.6%) was due to retinopathy of prematurity. Avoidable conditions accounted for 70%, 47% and 54% of cases in W. Africa, S. India and Chile respectively.

Causes of Blindness in Irbid, Jordan

“…9,10 This figure differs from other developing communities, for example, hereditary diseases were responsible for only 20% of childhood blindness in West Africa and Chile. 11 However, this high figure is shared with some Middle Eastern countries where hereditary disease may reach as high as 77%. 12 Tapetoretinal degeneration was the most commonly encountered of all genetic diseases among blind Jordanians of Irbid.…”

A survey of visual impairment in children attending the Royal Blind School, Edinburgh using the WHO childhood visual impairment database

“…The recorded prevalence of SVI/BL in European countries varies from 0.1 to 0.41 per 1000 children. 6,8 There are a number of blind school studies from South Asia, 2,3 South America 9 and Africa. 10,11 The causes of blindness vary from country to country and over time.…”

Zebrafish mutants as models for congenital ocular disorders in humans

“…Cataracts can be congenital or age-related and are the leading cause of blindness in humans (Vijaya et al, 1997). Congenital cataracts, while less prevalent than age-related cataracts are thought to be responsible for roughly one-tenth of blindness worldwide (Gilbert et al, 1993). The vertebrate lens forms as a result of interactions between the optic cup and the surface epithelium during the early stages of embryonic development.…”