Causes Of Blindess Among Blind Students In Ogun State, Nigeria

Abstract

A total of 28 blind students in 3 schools for the handicapped and 3 regular secondary schools were studied between October 1996 and May 1997. They comprised of 21 (75%) males and 7 (25%) females. Eleven (39.3%) were of primary education level, 13 (46. 4%) in secondary schools and the remaining 4 (14.3%) in vocational training. The main causes of blindness were; corneal scarring/ staphyloma 11(39.3%), catarract / aphakia / couching 4 (14.3%), cortical blindness 2 (7.1%) and retinitis pigmentosa 2(7.1%). Eleven of the students with corneal blindness admitted to having measles prior to blindness. 6 (21.4%) of the students examined had conditions needing treatment i.e cataract, aphakia subtotal corneal opacities. From the study preventable and treatable conditions are responsible for over 70% of case of blindness in the schools studied. To reduce the burden of childhood blindness in the state relevant recommendations were made

KEY WORDS: Blindness, blind students, causes, prevention

Nigerian Journal of Clinical Practice Vol.6(1) 2003: 17-19