Effect of trichiasis surgery on visual acuity outcomes in Ethiopia.

Abstract

OBJECTIVES:

To determine the effect of trichiasis surgery on visual acuity.

METHODS:

A total of 439 participants in the Surgery for Trichiasis, Antibiotics to Prevent Recurrence (STAR) trial had visual and subjective concerns measured before and 6 months after surgery. Trichiasis surgery was performed in at least 1 eye by integrated eye care workers. Visual acuity was measured using illiterate E versions of Early Treatment Diabetic Retinopathy Study charts with standardized, forced-choice procedures. Improvement was defined as improvement in visual acuity greater than 1 line (5 letters).

RESULTS:

The mean improvement in visual acuity for the eyes that had surgery was 0.129 logMAR units (P < .001). Surgery was associated with improvement in visual acuity compared with no surgery (odds ratio, 1.68; 95% confidence interval, 1.04-2.70). Independent predictors of visual acuity improvement in the eyes that had surgery included the number of lashes touching the globe prior to surgery and baseline visual acuity. Among patients, 93.8% described significant pain and 90.4% significant photophobia at baseline compared with only 1.4% and 0.9%, respectively, following surgery.

CONCLUSIONS:

Surgery to correct trichiasis appears to provide significant visual acuity improvement as well as a decrease in subjective concerns in patients with trachomatous trichiasis.

TRIAL REGISTRATION:

clinicaltrials.gov Identifier: NCT00347776.

• Authors: Tinsay A Woreta, Beatriz E Munoz, Emily W Gower, Wondu Alemayehu, Sheila K West
• Journal: Archives of ophthalmology (Chicago, Ill. : 1960) (Arch Ophthalmol) Vol. 127 Issue 11 Pg. 1505-10 (Nov 2009) ISSN: 1538-3601 [Electronic] United States
• PMID: 19901217 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Randomized Controlled Trial, Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural)

Chemical References

• Anti-Bacterial Agents
• Azithromycin
• Tetracycline

Topics

• Administration, Oral
• Adult
• Age Distribution
• Anti-Bacterial Agents (therapeutic use)
• Azithromycin (therapeutic use)
• Ethiopia (epidemiology)
• Eyelashes
• Eyelid Diseases (surgery)
• Female
• Hair Diseases (surgery)
• Humans
• Male
• Middle Aged
• Ophthalmologic Surgical Procedures
• Sex Distribution
• Single-Blind Method
• Tetracycline (therapeutic use)
• Trachoma (drug therapy, epidemiology)
• Visual Acuity (physiology)