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[The currently most common causes of childhood blindness in Kinshasa (d. R. Congo)].

AbstractBACKGROUND:
90 % of blind children live in the developing world. Only limited data are available on the prevalence and causes of blindness.
PURPOSE AND METHODS:
In order to identify the commonest causes of childhood blindness in the Democratic Republic of Congo, a study was conducted in 81 children (< 16 years old) attending schools for the blind in the capital city Kinshasa.
RESULTS:
According to WHO criteria, 53 (65.4 %) of the 81 children were classifiable as blind (visual acuity < 3/60), 11 (13.6 %) as visually impaired (visual acuity < 1/18) and 17 (21.0 %) as not impaired. On anatomic and functional classifications the commonest causes of blindness were: corneal opacity/scarring (20.0 %), phthisis bulbi (15.2 %), refractive anomalies (11.0 %), optic nerve atrophy (9.0 %), retinal disorders (7.6 %), glaucoma/buphthalmos (7.6 %), cataract (6.9 %), microphthalmos (3.5 %), vitreous opacity (2.8 %) and aphakia (2.1 %). The aetiology of blindness could not be determined in most of the children. Trauma, measles in conjunction with vitamin A deficiency, and the use of traditional eye medications are presumed to be the commonest causes of corneal opacity/scarring and of resultant phthisis bulbi.
CONCLUSION:
Childhood blindness would be potentially avoidable in 60 % of cases, either by surgery (for cataract [ 6.9 %]) or by preventive measures (corneal opacity/scarring, phthisis bulbi, glaucoma, refractive anomalies [ 53.0 %]).
AuthorsS Knappe, M Schittkowski, W Schröder, A Hopkins, N Fichter, R Guthoff
JournalKlinische Monatsblatter fur Augenheilkunde (Klin Monbl Augenheilkd) Vol. 224 Issue 7 Pg. 597-602 (Jul 2007) ISSN: 0023-2165 [Print] Germany
Vernacular TitleDie gegenwärtig häufigsten Ursachen der Kinderblindheit in Kinshasa (D. C. Kongo).
PMID17657695 (Publication Type: English Abstract, Journal Article)
Topics
  • Adolescent
  • Blindness (epidemiology, etiology)
  • Causality
  • Child
  • Child, Preschool
  • Cross-Sectional Studies
  • Developing Countries
  • Education, Special
  • Eye Diseases (epidemiology, etiology)
  • Eye Injuries (epidemiology, etiology)
  • Female
  • Health Surveys
  • Humans
  • Infant
  • Male
  • Urban Population (statistics & numerical data)
  • Vision Tests
  • Vision, Low (epidemiology, etiology)

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