Blindness in southern Nigeria: a review of available data

Abstract

To bring up to date, existing knowledge on the prevalence and common causes of blindness in SouthernNigeria. Available publications on blindness in national and international journals, some dissertations of theNational PostgraduateMedicalCollege and the internet using MEDLINE. Data relating to the prevalence and common causes of blindness in southern Nigeria over a  20-year period (1973-2003) was reviewed. All relevant articles, full length and abstracts, were sorted by categories i.e. into global, continental (Africa), Nigeria and then southern and northern Nigeria groupings. Recent information was also obtained on the internet using MEDLINE and the “Blindness in Nigeria”. Reviewed information shows that blindness is asmuch a problemin SouthernNigeria as it is in the rest of the less developed and poor countries of the world; and that the commonest causes of blinding diseases are largely preventable and treatable. An appreciable depth of data exists on blindness in southern Nigeria. Reviewed information indicate that blindness is asmuch a problemin southernNigeria as it is in the rest of the less developed and poor countries of the world, but regrettably, the commonest causes of blinding diseases in this region are largely preventable and treatable.

Keywords: Blindness, SouthernNigeria.