Ocular Disorders Affecting the Geriatric Population Taking up Ophthalmic Services at the University of Benin Teaching Hospital, Benin City

Abstract

Advancing age is a recognized risk factor for visual impairment and blindness worldwide with steeper increase in the elderly. Hence, eye health promotion as well as curative and rehabilitative services for the visually impaired elderly population should be a priority. Assessment of the socio-economic profile and pattern of ocular disorders can help in the planning and prioritization of necessary interventions for this vulnerable age group. To determine the socio-economic profile and pattern of ocular disorders of the geriatric population attending this tertiary hospital. A retrospective review of case notes of all elderly patients with eye complaints at the University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH) Ophthalmology clinic between January, 2013 and December, 2015. Data on socio-demographic characteristics such as age group and gender and economic indices such employment status were extracted from the patients records and ocular findings were retrieved and analysed using IBM Statistical Package for Social Sciences version 20. Frequencies, means and standard deviations were generated to observe patterns of variable distribution among patients. A total of 353 elderly patients with ocular complaints were identified during the period under review. The mean age of patients was 69.8±7.5 years (range 60 – 100 years) with a male to female ratio of 1:1.5. Two hundred and forty-eight (248) patients were retired and unemployed while 105 patients were still engaged in activities such as farming. The most common ocular morbidities were cataract (59.8%), glaucoma (31.4%) and uncorrected refractive errors (30.3%).This study demonstrated no change in the trend of ocular morbidity among the elderly with cataract predominating and most geriatric patients were unemployed. Therefore, availability and accessibility to eye care facilities especially for cataract blindness should be increased to reduce the burden of blindness and associated risks in the elderly.

Keywords: Ocular morbidity, geriatric, and Tertiary eye center, Benin city.