Five Years Follow-up Observations of the Ocular Diseases Associated with Leprosy

ABSTRACT

In 1874, Hansen(Norway) identified Mycobactererium leprae as the causative organism of leprosy, thus enabling man to battle this disease. Since Bull and Hansen(1873) published the report on the ocular complication of leprosy, there has been many articles on the ocular disease associated with leprosy. We visited to St. Heart In Ae Hospital in Sanchung from the 1977 to the 1982 for 5 yrs. We were throuhgly examined to find out who ther they have ocular complications and operation to every year for 5 yrs. The ocular complications have been observed in 169 leprosy patients. Among the examined 338 eyes, 1) The observed ocular complications were corneal disease, secondary cataract, phthisis bulbi in that order of frequency, 2) The visual acuity of operated group is improved in year of 1982 in comparing to year of 1977. The visual prognosis is showed better in tuberculoid type than that of leprosy type, 3) In the group of V.A under 0.1 correction, the operated group showed small rate better in comparing to that of nonoperated group, By operations such as cataract extraction and optical iridectomy, the blindness could be prevented.