Author/Authors :
Al-Akily, S.A. University of Science and Technology - Ibn Al-Haitham Eye Centre, Yemen , Al-Akily, S.A. Sana’a University - Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences - Eye Department, Yemen , Bamashmus, M.A. Sana’a University - Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences - Eye Department, Yemen , Bamashmus, M.A. University of Science and Technology - Ibn Al-Haitham Eye Centre, Yemen , Al-Mohammadi, K.A. National Leprosy Elimination Programme - Skin and Venereal Diseases Hospital - Eye Department, Yemen
Abstract :
The causes of blindness in Yemen were determined in people aged 50+ years in both a community-and hospital-based study and documented using WHO/PBL criteria. In the community sample of 707 individuals in a rural area of Taiz governorate the prevalence of bilateral blindness was 7.9% and the main causes were cataract (71.4%) and age-related macular degeneration (ARMD) (14.3%). Corneal opacities and uncorrected aphakia were rare (1 case each) and there were no cases of diabetic retinopathy. Unilateral blindness was found in 8.6% of the community sample. In a case-notes review of 1320 new patients attending an eye clinic in Sana’a, bilateral blindness was documented in 26.5% and unilateral blindness in 9.0% (main causes: cataract, glaucoma, ARMD, diabetic retinopathy, corneal opacities and trauma).
