RESUMEN
Purpose: The purpose of this study was to establish the main causes of blindness in persons living at two institutions for the blind in Sana'a and Aden in Yemen. A total of 425 blind persons [310 male and 115 female] living in the Al Noor Institutes for the Blind in Sana'a and Aden were studied during January to September 1995. Their ages ranged from one year to 48 years with 78% being under 30 years. Only those with a visual acuity [VA] of counting fingers [CF] were selected. The main causes of blindness were shown as 59% due to ocular disease [congenital optic atrophy, trauma, congenital glaucoma, congenital anophthalmos, corneal opacitites, congenital cataract, retinal detachment, intraoccular foreign bodies, keratoconus, chronic and simple glaucoma, ocular burns, expulsion, microcornea, retinitis pigmentosa and ophthalmia neonatorum]. Systemic diseases were the cause of 41% of blindness, [meningitis, measles, rubella, chickenpox, diabetes mellitus, hydrocephalus, malaria, septicemia, subdural hematoma and albinism]. Conclusions: The main causes of blindness in our study group was shown to be 59% ocular disease [mainly cogenital optic atrophy and trauma] and 41% systemic disease [mainly meningitis and measles]. Blindness mainly affected the young, active male person and highlighted the need for a comprehensive immunization program and general public health education