Prevalence and causes of low vision and blindness in the Extreme North Province of Cameroon, West Africa

Wilson, M. Roy; Mansour, Mohammed; Ross‐Degnan, Dennis; Moukouri, Ernest; Fobi, Grace; Alemayehu, Wondu; Martone, James F.; Casey, Richard; Bazargan, Mohsen

doi:10.3109/09286589609071598

Cited by 18 publications

(11 citation statements)

References 9 publications

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“…Worldwide, the prevalence of visual acuity impairment is generally slightly greater in girls than boys 7 . 9 , 26 –30 Our results are in agreement with these studies. It is unknown why girls are at greater risk for impaired visual acuity.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 93%

Prevalence of usual‐corrected distance visual acuity impairment in Hispanic and non‐Hispanic children and adolescents

Lee

Gómez-Marı́n

Lam

et al. 2000

Paediatric Perinatal Epid

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Data from the Hispanic Health and Nutrition Examination Survey and the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey I were analysed to determine the prevalence of visual acuity impairment among US Hispanics and non-Hispanics aged 6-19 years. The prevalence of 20/30 or worse distance visual acuity with usual or habitual correction ranged from 10.8% in non-Hispanic whites to 19.1% in Puerto Ricans. Puerto Rican boys aged 13-19 years had significantly greater rates of moderate or greater impairment (20/70 or worse) than 6-12-year-old Puerto Rican boys (5.7% vs. 0.7%). The prevalence of visual impairment was generally greater in girls than in boys. Assessment and comparison of refractive error and eye disease prevalence rates are necessary in future studies to determine factors influencing prevalence of visual acuity impairment in children.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 93%

Prevalence of usual‐corrected distance visual acuity impairment in Hispanic and non‐Hispanic children and adolescents

Lee

Gómez-Marı́n

Lam

et al. 2000

Paediatric Perinatal Epid

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“…Not surprisingly, onchocerciasis was the leading cause of blindness (48%), followed by cataracts (19%), corneal opacity (14.3%), and glaucoma (9.5%). In 1996 Wilson et al 25 surveyed 10,647 subjects of all ages (2183 age 40 or over) in both rural and urban areas in the northern province of Cameroon. They found a combined prevalence of blindness (VA < 20/200) of 3.7% for all age groups and 15.9% for people age 40 or over.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In addition, there have been two population based surveys in rural Ghana 20,21 and several in rural Africa. 17, 22–25 Thirdly, because 50% of Ghanaians currently live in urban areas and increasing urbanization is projected, it made sense to collect blindness and disease prevalence estimates from an urban setting. Surveying only rural subjects, as done previously, may overestimate the prevalence of blindness and visual impairment due to the high rates of infectious diseases such as trachoma and onchocerciasis and underestimate the prevalence of chronic diseases such as cataract and glaucoma.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Blindness and Visual Impairment in an Urban West African Population: The Tema Eye Survey

et al. 2012

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Objective To determine the prevalence, etiologies, and risk factors of blindness and visual impairment among persons age 40 years and older residing in an urban West African location. Design Population-based cross-sectional study. Participants Five thousand six hundred and three participants residing in Tema, Ghana. Methods Proportionate random cluster sampling was used to select participants age 40 and over living in the city of Tema. Presenting distance visual acuity was measured at 4 and 1 meters using a reduced Logarithm of the Minimum Angle of Resolution (logMAR) tumbling E chart and then with trial frame based on autorefraction. A screening examination was performed in the field on all participants. Complete clinical examination by an ophthalmologist was performed on participants with best corrected visual acuity < 20/40 or failure of any screening test. Main Outcome Measures Age- and gender-specific prevalence, causes, and risk factors for blindness (visual acuity in the better eye of < 20/400, World Health Organization definition) and visual impairment (visual acuity in the better eye of < 20/40). Results Six thousand eight hundred and six eligible participants were identified of which 5603 (82.3%) participated in the study. The mean age (±standard deviation) of participants was 52.7±10.9. The prevalence of visual impairment was 17.1% and blindness was 1.2%. After refraction and spectacle correction, the prevalence of visual impairment and blindness decreased to 6.7% and 0.75% respectively, suggesting that refractive error is the major correctable etiology of visual impairment and blindness in this population. Of 65 subjects having visual acuity < 20/400, 22 (34%) were correctable with refraction, 21 to the level of visual impairment, and one to normal. The remaining 43 (66%) had underlying pathology (19 cataract, 9 glaucoma, 3 non-glaucomatous optic neuropathy, 3 corneal opacities, 3 retinal disease, 5 undetermined) that prevented refractive correction. Increased age was a significant risk factor for blindness and visual impairment. Conclusions There is a high prevalence of blindness and visual impairment among those aged ≥40 years in Tema, Ghana, West Africa. Refractive error is a major cause of blindness and visual impairment in this population, followed by cataract, glaucoma, and corneal disease.

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“…The causes of blindness and the pattern of eye diseases differ in developing and developed countries and often in communities (2)(3)(4)(5)(6)(7)(8)(9). In developing countries and in various communities, cataract, corneal opacities and glaucoma are the major causes of blindness (10)(11)(12)(13)(14).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Eye diseases and blindness in Adjumani refugee settlement camps, Uganda

Kawuma

2009

E Af Med Jrnl

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Objectives: To determine the prevalence and causes of the blindness and ocular morbidity amongst Sudanese refugees; to prioritise and provide eye care services to the refugees and; to device administrative strategies and logistics of prevention and control of blinding diseases among the refugees. Design: A mobile outreach clinic study for six weeks. Setting: Adjumani settlement camps for Sudanese refugees in Uganda. Participants: Seven hundred patients in eighteen settlement camps. Interventions: Medical treatment and surgical correction offered. Main outcome measures: Cataract, trachoma and xerophthalmia are the major causes of blindness. Results: One hundred and forty six patients (21%) were bilaterally blind, and 77 patients (11%) were unilaterally blind. The three leading causes of blindness are cataract (42%), xerophthalmia (28%) and trachoma (21%). Glaucoma and other non-specified causes were responsible for the remaining blindness (9%). The crude prevalence of blindness among the 700 patients was 20. This is an extremely high prevalence, nearly ten times higher than for Ugandans living in Uganda. Conclusion: In refugee settlement camps setting, residents may have a much higher prevalence of eye diseases and blindness than non-refugees.

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Prevalence and causes of low vision and blindness in the Extreme North Province of Cameroon, West Africa

Cited by 18 publications

References 9 publications

Prevalence of usual‐corrected distance visual acuity impairment in Hispanic and non‐Hispanic children and adolescents

Prevalence of usual‐corrected distance visual acuity impairment in Hispanic and non‐Hispanic children and adolescents

Blindness and Visual Impairment in an Urban West African Population: The Tema Eye Survey

Eye diseases and blindness in Adjumani refugee settlement camps, Uganda

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