Visual disability and blindness secondary to refractive errors in Africa

Abstract

Optical defects of the light-focusing apparatus of the eye are called errors of refraction. They are responsible for 13% of all significant vision loss in Kenya, ranking third of all causes, after cataract and trachoma. As the overall prevalence of such visual impairment in the Country is 3.7%, roughly 0.5% of the population can be said to need spectacles to obtain normal vision. The comparable figure for secondary school children in Nigeria has been found to be 2.4%. In addition, patients require special spectacles after cataract surgery to obtain adequate vision; without such spectacles these patients are still ‘blind’ by World Health Organization criteria. These glasses can be obtained through mission societies and various charitable organizations for as little as $5 per pair, and can be manufactured locally with available ophthalmic manpower and technology. Alternatives to spectacles such as contact lenses, intra-ocular lenses and Kerato-refractive surgery are not suitable for use in developing Countries.