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.
BT - Tropical doctor C1 - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/7502331?dopt=Abstract CN - MALU1995 DA - 1995 Oct DO - 10.1177/004947559502500413 IS - 4 J2 - Trop Doct LA - eng N2 -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.
PY - 1995 SP - 181 EP - 3 T2 - Tropical doctor TI - Blindness in leprosy patients of Kaduna State, Northern Nigeria. VL - 25 SN - 0049-4755 ER -