Profile of blindness in Nepal: a hospital based study.

ABSTRACT

A hospital based prospective study was conducted at B P Koirala Lions Center for Ophthalmic Studies to determine the causes of blindness. A total of 701 patients were enrolled for this study during a one and a half year time period. Four main diseases in the order of prevalence--cataract, corneal diseases, trauma and posterior segment diseases--were identified as the major causes of blindness. The prevalence of blindness increased with age and showed a male preponderance. Cataract and corneal diseases were the leading causes of bilateral blindness and unilateral blindness respectively.