Frequency of blindness in Aden governorate : a two years hospital-based-study

الملخص EN

Background : This study was designed to determine the frequency of blindness and its etiological common diseases in Aden, Yemen.

Methods : This is a retrospective study conducted in the eye wards in two hospitals in Aden city for two years.

The collected data were analyzed statistically using excel software and the results were illustrated in tables and a figure.

The Chi-square test was applied to assess differences in variables between groups and p values less than 0.05 was considered statistically significant.

Results : The total admitted patients in the two hospitals in 2002 and 2003 were 1142.

Out of the total admitted patients 1054 (92.3 %) were cases of blindness.

The frequency of blindness was 73.6 % among those more than 50 years of age and the lower rate 3.2 % among those 11-20 years of age.

The difference of blindness in both genders in the different age groups was not statically significant (p > 0.05( The main causes of blindness were cataracts (78.6 %), glaucoma (8.3 %), corneal ulcer (4 %) trauma (3.5 %), endophthalmitis (2.6 %) and other unidentified diseases (3 %).

Conclusion : The study has found that cataract represent the most common cause of blindness and the reminder causes were glaucoma, corneal ulceration, eye trauma and others.

More elaborate studies should be conducted at regional and national levels to obtain a clearer picture of the prevalence and causes of blindness.