01370nas a2200253   4500000000100000008004100001260001300042653001400055653002100069653003700090653001100127653001800138653001200156653001200168653001800180100001300198700001300211245006900224300001000293490000700303050001300310520077900323022001401102       1995                            d  c1995 Oct10aBlindness10aCorneal Diseases10aHealth Services Needs and Demand10aHumans10aIridocyclitis10aleprosy10aNigeria10aVisual Acuity1 aMalu K N1 aMalu A O00aBlindness in leprosy patients of Kaduna State, Northern Nigeria.  a181-30 v25  aMALU19953 a<p>We examined the eyes of 311 leprosy patients to determine the prevalence of blindness and impaired vision, and the causes of blindness in leprosy patients in Northern Nigeria. There was impaired vision or blindness in 74 eyes. Both eyes were affected in 5.1% of patients while 2.9% were totally blind. Leprosy alone was responsible for total blindness in 1.3% of patients, while other ocular diseases contributed to blindness in 1.6%. Exposure keratitis (21.3%), corneal opacities (13.5%) and chronic uveitis (10.1%) were the commonest leprotic cause of blindness. Primary care and early intervention could help prevent blindness in many of these patients. Primary eye care should therefore be given a prominent position in the training of carers of leprosy patients.</p>  a0049-4755