ABSTRACT
To find out the causes and risk factors of irreversible blindness in patients of different age groups and recommend strategies for its control. Design: It is a prospective study of one hundred consecutive blind cases, Place and Duration of Study: The study was conducted from January to June, 1999 at the Ophthalmology Department of Postgraduate Medical Institute, Peshawar. Subjects and A standard proforma was designed and entries were made regarding present, past and family history, thorough ocular examination of every patient was performed on slit-lamp with relevant biomicroscopic aids and posterior segment examination was conducted with direct as well as indirect ophthalmoscopes, biomicroscopy was performed as and when required. Intraocular pressure and ocular mobility were noted and relevant investigations were performed where needed. Of 100 patients 56% were males and 44% females. There were 3% hypertensive patients and 35% had diabetes mellitus. Etiologically 40% patients were blind due to glaucoma, 33% had diabetic retinopathy, 8% due to vitamin-A deficiency, 7% experienced trauma, retinitis pigmentosa was the cause in 3% patients, 3% had retinoblastoma and 6% were blind because of unknown or unidentified causes. Irreversible blindness is more common in people above fifty years of age and mostly males are affected. Glaucoma was the commonest cause followed by diabetic retinopathy in this study