01322nas a2200229   4500000000100000008004100001260001300042653002500055653001400080653002800094653001700122653001100139653001200150653001500162653001800177100001400195245005200209300001100261490000700272520079900279022001401078       1989                            d  c1989 Aug10aAnterior Eye Segment10aBlindness10aCross-Sectional Studies10aEye diseases10aHumans10aleprosy10aPrevalence10aVisual Acuity1 aFfytche T00aBlindness in leprosy--a forgotten complication.  a257-600 v173 a<p>Leprosy remains one of the world's major blinding diseases and yet few ophthalmologists are aware of the spectrum of ocular complications. Cross-sectional studies of the eye changes in leprosy patients, made under standardised conditions, have been carried out in 24 different leprosy centres throughout the world and the preliminary results are presented. They show that up to 20% of leprosy patients develop sight-threatening lesions and between 5% and 7% are blind (depending on the definition of blindness). Visual impairment in leprosy needs special consideration by leprologists and ophthalmologists, not only because much of it is preventable, but also because it is a severe burden to be added to the problems of mobility and social stigma that characterise this ancient disease.</p>  a0814-9763