02302nas a2200409 4500000000100000008004100001260001300042653004200055653003100097653001400128653001300142653002500155653001700180653001100197653001600208653001300224653003400237653001100271653001200282653000900294653002100303653002700324653003800351653002800389653001500417653002200432653001300454653002500467100001500492700001700507245006100524856007600585300001200661490000700673520119800680022001401878 2001 d c2001 Aug10aAIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections10aAfrica South of the Sahara10aBlindness10aCataract10aDiabetic Retinopathy10aEye Injuries10aFemale10aForecasting10aGlaucoma10aHealth Services Accessibility10aHumans10aleprosy10aMale10aNeeds Assessment10aOnchocerciasis, Ocular10aPatient Acceptance of Health Care10aPopulation Surveillance10aPrevalence10aRefractive Errors10aTrachoma10aVitamin A Deficiency1 aLewallen S1 aCourtright P00aBlindness in Africa: present situation and future needs. uhttps://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1724094/pdf/v085p00897.pdf a897-9030 v853 a

AIM: To review the prevalence and causes of blindness in sub-Saharan Africa, the existing services and limitations, and the Vision 2020 goals for the future.

METHODS: Methodologically sound population based surveys published in the past 20 years are reviewed and results for prevalence and causes of blindness are tabulated. The current resources and needs according to recent publications and international working groups are described.

CONCLUSIONS: Blindness prevalence rates vary widely but the evidence suggests that approximately 1% of Africans are blind. The major cause is cataract; trachoma and glaucoma are also important causes of blindness. The bulk of blindness in the region is preventable or curable. Efforts should focus on eye problems which are universally present and for which there are cost effective remedies, such as cataract and refractive problems and on those problems which occur focally and can be prevented by primary healthcare measures, such as trachoma, onchocerciasis, and vitamin A deficiency. Major development of staffing levels, infrastructure, and community programmes will be necessary to achieve Vision 2020 goals.

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