Low vision services in Sokoto State, Nigeria

Abstract

Background: The provision and uptake of low vision services is said to be poor globally and is almost negligible in low income countries. Results: To describe the first one year of low vision service provision in Sokoto state. Methods: A retrospective review of all
patients with low vision referred to the low vision unit of Usmanu Danfodiyo University Teaching Hospital and Specialist Hospital, Sokoto during the study period was undertaken. The WHO definition of low vision using visual acuity cut off point (best corrected visual acuity of <6/18 to light perception in the better eye) was used to enlist study participants. Data was extracted from the medical records of all the patients diagnosed with low vision. The information extracted included age, sex, sociodemographic details, presenting and best corrected visual acuities for near and distance, diagnosis, the spectacles and low vision device prescribed. Data was analyzed using simple percentages and proportions. Results: A total of 46 patients (0.45% of all patients seen -10,201) were diagnosed with low vision. The sex distribution was 65.2% males and 34.8% females. The age range of the patients was from 9 years to 69 years with a mean age of 29.3 ± 1.66 years. The major causes of low vision in this study were glaucoma (52.2%), retinitis pigmentosa (26.1%), optic atrophy (8.7%), pathologic myopia (6.5%) and albinism (2.2%) . The most prescribed devices were spectacle magnifiers and telescopes (41.3% both) followed by handheld magnifier (13%) and stand magnifier (4.3%). The most dispensed devices were spectacle magnifiers and telescope at 41.6%, handheld magnifiers 12.5%, and stand magnifiers 4.2%. Conclusions: Low vision service provision in Sokoto state is one of the challenges of eye care service provision in the state. The commonest cause of low vision was found to be glaucoma while Spectacle magnifiers and Telescopes were found to be the commonest prescribed and dispensed low vision devices.