ISSN 2756-3812
International Journal of Medical Advances and Discovery ISSN 2756-3812 Vol. 3 (5), pp. 001-006, May, 2012. © International Scholars Journals
Full Length Research Paper
Cataract blindness in a Nigerian tertiary hospital- A one year review
Singabele EJ1, Sokolo JEE2 and Adio AO3
1,2College of Medicine, University of Port Harcourt, Rivers state, Nigeria.
3Department of Surgery, University of Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Nigeria.
Accepted 16 July, 2011
Abstract
Blindness negatively affects quality of life and leads to increased mortality. Available community based studies showed that three quarters of the causes of blindness majorly by cataract, is avoidable. This study was conducted so as to have hospital based data on cataract as a cause of blindness in University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital, (UPTH), Nigeria. The case records of all blind patients (visual acuity of less than 3/60 or corresponding visual field of less than 100 in the better eye with the best possible correction) presenting at the out patient clinic for year 2008 were reviewed. Of 214 patients, Cataract was responsible for about one third (n=82.38.3%). The age 40-60 years had the highest proportion of bilaterally cataract blind patients (40%). More males were bilaterally cataract blind (n=12.60%). Most bilaterally cataract blind patients lived in the rural areas (n=12.60%). The uptake of surgery was poorer among bilaterally cataract blind patients with only 30% (n=6) presenting for surgery. Cataract is a leading cause of blindness in the UPTH, Nigeria and is commoner in the older age group especially among males. The rural dwellers present late especially when bilaterally blind from cataract. Subsidizing the costs may improve the uptake of cataract surgery in our center.
Keywords: Cataract, blindness, university of Port Harcourt teaching hospital, couching, uptake of surgery, visual acuity, hospital based study, mortality.