|
Full Length
Research Paper
Cataract blindness in a Nigerian tertiary hospital- A one
year review.
Singabele EJ 1,
Sokolo JEE2, Adio
AO3
1,2College of Medicine,
University of Port Harcourt, Rivers state, Nigeria.
3Department of Surgery,
University of Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Nigeria.
*Corresponding author E-mail:
eyaalsokolo@yahoo.com
; Tel: +2348063465904.
Received 30 June, 2010; Accepted 16 July, 2010
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. |