Prevalence of blindness and low vision in north west Frontier province of Pakistan

ABSTRACT

We studied 6,690 people in a population-based survey in order to determine the prevalence of blindness and its causes in the North West Frontier Province [NWFP] of Pakistan. The results showed that 1% of the population is blind in both eyes. The causes of blindness was cataract in 70%, trachoma in 9%, uncorrected aphakia in 7%, corneal opacity in 7% and miscellanea in 6%. Uniocular blindness occurred in 2.51% of the population. In uniocular blindness cataract was responsible for 45%, severe corneal opacity with or without phthisis for 29%, uncorrected aphakia for 10%, refractive errors for 8% and other diseases for 8%. Visual impairment occurred in 2.49% of the population. The leading causes of which were cataract and various types of refractive errors. [Pakistan Journal of Ophthalmology, Volume 1039-42, April-July, 1994]