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ANALYSIS OF FREQUENCY AND CAUSES OF VISUAL IMPAIRMENT AND BLINDNESS IN POPULATION OF PAKISTAN

Dr Mehsim Abid, Dr Ishrat Fatima, Dr Hira Fatima

Introduction: Visual impairment and blindness is a global problem with important socio-economic consequences that have proven effects on the quality of life of individuals, and usually impose great family-related and socio-economic losses. Aims and objectives: The main objective of the study is to analyze the frequency and causes of visual impairment and blindness in population of Pakistan. Material and methods: This survey analysis was conducted in Allama Iqbal Medical College, Lahore during January 2018 to August 2018. The data was collected from 200 patients of both genders. Individuals of aged 40 or > 40 years to 70 or > 70 years and visual acuity of 6/18 to ≤ 3/60 were included in this study. These subjects had gone through detailed eye examination which included measurement of visual acuity, auto refraction, intra ocular pressure measurement, slit lamp examination and dilated fundoscopy by slit lamp bio-microscopy through 90D lens. The detailed demographic history of patients were also examined for finding the causes of blindness in Pakistan. Results: The data were collected from 200 selected individuals. Out of 200 subjects 53.2% subjects were male and 46.8% subjects were female. The prevalence of visual impairment based on presenting vision was 3.95% (95% CI, 3.13–4.77). There was no significant difference between the two genders (P = 0.837). The prevalence of visual impairment based on presenting vision significantly increased with age from 1.59% in children under 5 years of age to 43.59% in the over 65 age group. The leading causes of blindness were conjunctivitis (38.8%), cataract 18 (36.7%) and diabetic retinopathy 9 (18.4%). Conclusion: It is concluded that there was no significant inter-gender difference in the prevalence of visual impairment, but the prevalence of visual impairment significantly increased with aging.

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