Causes of blindness in Irbid, Jordan

Causes of Permanent Severe Visual Impairment and Blindness among Jordanian Population

PURPOSE

To report the causes of permanent severe visual impairment and blindness among Jordanian blind people.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

This study was conducted on 1422 legally blind or worse vision people of all ages who attended the ophthalmic division of a medical committee for evaluation of disabled persons from July 2013 through November 2014. They were divided into two age groups: adult group (998 cases) and childhood group (<16 years, 424 cases). Patients presented reports from their ophthalmologists detailing their eye examination including best-corrected visual acuity, slit-lamp examinations, and if applicable, intraocular pressure, dilated ophthalmoscopy, and visual field and the primary cause of visual impairment. Blind defined as best-corrected visual acuity < 6/60 (20/200) and/or visual field of 20° or less.

RESULTS

Retinitis pigmentosa was the most common cause of blindness among adult group (29.7%) followed by diabetic retinopathy (19.9%) and glaucoma (15.8%). Congenital whole-globe malformations were the most common cause of blindness among childhood cases (16.7%) followed by retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) (15.8%) and retinal dystrophies (13.9%). Overall, blindness related to genetic diseases, illnesses, and trauma was present at 56.5% (803), 41.7% (593), and 1.8% (26) of cases, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

Genetic diseases such as retinitis pigmentosa, diabetic retinopathy, and glaucoma were the dominant causes of blindness among adults, while whole-globe malformation, ROP, and retinal dystrophies were the dominant causes of childhood blindness. These major causes of blindness should be considered in future public health and nongovernmental organizations strategies for blindness prevention in Jordan.

Causes of blindness among adult Jordanians: a hospital-based study

PURPOSE

To assess the causes of blindness among adults aged 20 years and over who attended two big general ophthalmic clinics in Jordan.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

This hospital-based study was undertaken at Jordan University Hospital in Amman (the capital of Jordan) and Princess Basma Teaching Hospital which is affiliated with Jordan University of Science and Technology in Irbid, the third largest city in the country. A total of 2732 patients seen consecutively over 26 months were examined and the ophthalmic findings were recorded. Using standard Snellen charts, subjects were placed in one of three categories according to their best corrected visual acuity: (1) unilateral blindness: less than 6/60 in the worst eye, 6/60 or more in the better eye; (2) moderate bilateral blindness: less than 6/60 in the worst eye, less than 6/60 to 3/60 or more the better eye; and (3) severe bilateral blindness: less than 3/60 in both eyes.

RESULTS

Of the totalpatients seen, 373 were blind according to the selection criteria. Among 248 patients with unilateral blindness, diabetic retinopathy, cataract and trauma were the leading causes. Among the 81 patients with moderate bilateral blindness, diabetic retinopathy and cataract were the leading causes. Diabetic retinopathy and glaucoma were the leading causes in patients with severe bilateral blindness.

CONCLUSIONS

These data could be used in planning blindness prevention and treatment programs while awaiting a national survey on the prevalence and causes of blindness in Jordan.