Causes of blindness and visual impairment

Cataract (47.9%) remains the leading cause of visual impairment worldwide, except in developed countries, despite the advancement of surgical procedures in many countries in the past decade.

The main causes of other visual disorders in 2002 were glaucoma (12.3%), age-related macular degeneration (AMD) (8.7%), corneal opacity (5.1%), diabetic retinopathy (4.8%), and children It was blindness (3.9%). Trachoma (3.6%) and onchocerciasis (0.8%). In addition to AMD, the causes of vision problems that can be avoided around the world are as described above. In the least developed countries, especially in sub-Saharan Africa, cataract (50%), glaucoma (15%), corneal turbidity (10%), trachoma (6.8%), and childhood blindness (5.3%). ) And filariasis (4%)

According to the worldwide distribution of avoidable blindness of the World Health Organization population, we are seeing: 28% in Southeast Asia, 26% in the Western Pacific, 16.6% in Africa, 10% in the East Mediterranean, in the US 6%, and 6% in Europe.

In addition to uncorrected refractive error, these six diseases or groups of diseases with an effective known disease elimination disease are global initiatives to eliminate the unavoidable blindness of the World Health Organization, these causes Was resolved as a public health problem in 2020. Cataracts, onchocerciasis and trachoma are major diseases in the world strategy and plan. The World Health Organization is developing screening and management strategies for primary care against glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy, uncorrected refractive error, and child's blindness (except dry eye)

Corneal disease is an important cause of visual impairment and blindness in developing countries. The main causes of corneal blindness include trachoma, corneal ulcer after dry eye due to vitamin A deficiency, neonatal ophthalmopathy, and use of harmful traditional medications, onchocerciasis, leprosy and eye trauma. (1-3) Andhra Pradesh Eye Disease Study (APEDS) (4) reported the prevalence of corneal blindness of 0.13% (95% CI: 0.06-0.24), accounting for 9% of all blindness. APEDS also shows that the burden of corneal blindness in the rural population of Andhra Pradesh is very high, and 95% of it can be avoided. Strategies for preventing cornea blindness may be more cost effective, but the visual rehabilitation of corneal transplantation remains the primary treatment option for those already experiencing corneal blindness. (Four)

The treatment of visual impairment and blindness varies depending on the cause. In countries of the third world, many people are suffering from poor vision or poor eyesight. Nutritional causes of blindness can be resolved through dietary changes. Millions of people in the world are blinded with cataracts. In these patients, cataract surgery restores vision most of the time. The cause of inflammation and infectivity of blindness can be treated with drugs in the form of drops or pills. Corneal transplantation can help people lose sight for corneal scarring

There are many things that cause blindness. Sometimes people are born blind, their blind or visually impaired is congenital (meaning "born"). But most blind people are blind later. Some people are blind after the accident. Wearing protective eyeglasses or goggles during work such as using a power tool, playing a pumpkin, using chemicals can help prevent such accidents. Glaucoma, cataract and diabetic retinopathy are the three most common causes of blindness today