The incidence of visual impairment greatly increases with age because most of the commonest blinding conditions occur in older age. Cataract is, of course, the main problem but glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy and macular degeneration are also important. Studies which examine the prevalence of visual impairment according to its causes have been done in both developed and less economically develop...

Background Many causes of vision impairment can be prevented or treated. With an ageing global population, the demands for eye health services are increasing. We estimated the prevalence and relative contribution avoidable causes blindness globally from 1990 to 2020. aimed compare results with the World Health Assembly Global Action Plan (WHA GAP) target a 25% reduction 2010 2019 in avoidab...

OBJECTIVE To determine the prevalence and causes of visual loss in different ecological zones across Nigeria. METHODS A population-based survey using multi-stage, stratified, cluster random sampling with probability proportional to size comprising a nationally representative sample of adults aged > or = 40 years from six ecological zones. OUTCOME MEASURES Distance vision was measured using ...

AIMS To provide an overview of cataract data in Suriname and to describe and evaluate a programme to control cataract blindness in a developing country. DESIGN Evaluation of hospital data and findings from a population-based cross-sectional survey. METHODS The implementation of a new cataract surgical intervention programme was described and retrospectively evaluated by analysing the number...

During the course of a seven-month period in 1998 and 1999, 617 new patients with unilateral or bilateral blindness were evaluated as to the underlying cause. This was done at the Lighthouse for Christ Eye Centre in Mombasa, Kenya. These patients came not only from the Mombasa area, but from the entire coastal region — from the frontier with Somalia in the north to the border with Tanzania in t...

PURPOSE To assess the prevalence and causes of visual impairment in weaving communities in Prakasam district in South India state of Andhra Pradesh. METHODS Using Rapid Assessment of Visual Impairment (RAVI) methodology, a population based cross-sectional study was conducted. A two-stage sampling strategy was used to select 3000 participants aged ≥40 years. Visual Acuity (VA) was assessed usi...

According to the 2010 Global Burden of Disease (GBD) study, the global prevalence of blindness (age-standardised) has declined from 0.60% in 1990 to 0.47% in 2010.1 This seems to indicate that an increasing number of people have access to good eye health services. However, this improvement is not equally distributed within and across nations. The GBD study also showed that 60% of blindness worl...