Purpose:This study was designed to determine the rate and pattern of vitreo-retinal diseases at a tertiary eye care center in South-eastern Nigeria.Materials and Methods:The outpatient register at the Eye Clinic of the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital, Enugu, was retrospectively examined to identify all new patients registered between January 2004 and December 2008. A chart review of subjects with vitreo-retinal disease was conducted to record relevant demographic and clinical data including the needs for vitreo-retinal care. Descriptive and analytical statistics were performed. A P-value <0.001 (one degree of freedom) was considered statistically significant.Results:Of the 8,239 new patients reported during the period, 326 subjects (males- 59.3%; females- 40.7%; sex ratio = 1.1:1) aged 49.3 ± 16.8 years (range 3-82 years) had vitreo-retinal disease. The rate of vitreo-retinal disease was 3.9%. The rate was higher in subjects above 40 years old (P < 0.001), but did not differ between sexes (P = 0.469). Diabetic retinopathy (24.9%), hypertensive retinopathy (13.3%), and age-related macular degeneration (10.7%) were the leading vitreo-retinal diseases. Blindness from vitreo-retinal disease was bilateral in 6.1% of subjects and unilateral in 17.5% of subjects. The common co-morbidities were ocular conditions such as refractive error (19.8%), cataract (14.2%), and glaucoma (10.4%); and systemic conditions such as diabetes mellitus (14.6%) and hypertension (13.2%).Conclusions:The rate of vitreo-retinal diseases among new ophthalmic outpatients at UNTH, Enugu, is 3.9%. Retinal vascular disorders and age-related maculopathy are the leading retinal diseases. At UNTH, resource needs for vitreo-retinal care are urgent including retinal photography/angiography, laser photocoagulation, intra-vitreal pharmacotherapy, and vitreo-retinal surgery.

There is a global rise in the prevalence of diabetes and this has led to a rise in the consequences of diabetes such as diabetic retinopathy (DR). The current study aims to determine the prevalence, awareness and determinants of DR among diabetics who attended a screening centre in Enugu, south-eastern Nigeria. A descriptive cross-sectional study was carried out among consenting diabetic patients who visited the centre. An interviewer-administered questionnaire was used to gather information on demographic details, the knowledge of the participants on effects of diabetes on the eye and previous care they had received for their eyes. Each participant underwent eye examination which included posterior segment examination with slit lamp biomicroscopy with +90DS lens after pupil dilation. A total of 80 eligible participants were examined. The prevalence of any DR among the participants was 32.1 % (95 % CI 20.6-43.5) whereas prevalence of proliferative diabetic retinopathy, PDR was 6.4 % and diabetic macular oedema, DME was 31.3 %. Age at onset of diabetes and duration of diabetes were the most determinant factors associated with DR (p = 0.039 and p = 0.000 respectively). Only ten (12.5 %) participants had undergone at least one specific eye examination to check for DR since they were diagnosed with diabetes. The major reason for not having had a prior screening is 'no one referred me for it' (31 participants, 44.3 %). DR is emerging as an important cause of blindness and severe visual impairment. Adequate screening programme and treatment protocol need to be set up for this population even in developing countries to prevent blindness.

The prevalence of childhood BL/SVI in our study population is low but over half of the blindness is avoidable. There may be a significant backlog of operable childhood cataract in south-eastern Nigeria. The KI method is a practical method for case finding of blind children in rural communities.

Purpose: This study sought to find out the effect of the COVID-19 partial lockdown on adherence to glaucoma follow-up appointments and associated factors in a multispecialist eye care facility in Enugu, Nigeria. Methods: A retrospective cross-sectional survey of glaucoma patients who were booked for follow-up appointment and those who attended follow-up clinic at The Eye Specialists Hospital (TESH), Enugu, Nigeria before and during the COVID-19 lockdown. The hospital records of glaucoma appointments and visits in April 2019 and April 2020, corresponding to “before” and “during” COVID-19 lockdown, respectively, were used to collect information on visits to glaucoma clinic (with/without appointments). The primary outcome measure of this study was difference in adherence to follow-up appointments while the secondary outcome measure was the total glaucoma visits before and during the pandemic lockdown. Data entry and analysis was done using SPSS version 22. Results: Follow-up rate was not significantly different before (34.6%) and during (35.7%) the COVID-19 lockdown (P = 0.85). A total of 156 and 121 glaucoma visits were recorded before and during COVID-19 lockdown, respectively (P = 0.049). Patients within age group 60 to 80 years, males and persons with advanced glaucoma visited clinic more before and during the COVID-19 lockdown. Severity of glaucoma was significantly associated with more visits during the COVID-19 lockdown (P = 0.023). Conclusion: In TESH, Enugu, Nigeria, the COVID-19 partial lockdown affected total number of glaucoma visits but not adherence to follow-up appointments. Understanding the need for glaucoma follow-up checks and fear of blindness likely helps adherence to appointments.

Purpose: To determine the mean central corneal thickness (CCT) of healthy adult Nigerians from the Igbo ethnic population in southeastern Nigeria which has the highest prevalence of glaucoma and to evaluate the relationship if any between mean CCT and patients’ demographics.Methods: A cross sectional study conducted at an eye screening center in Enugu Southeastern Nigeria. Subjects with healthy eyes from the Igbo ethnic population were recruited. Central corneal thickness was measured with ultrasound pachymetry (Sonomed PacScan plus, model 300AP+) on eligible subjects. Topical anesthetic was instilled and 3 measurements of corneal thickness were taken. The average thickness for each eye was calculated and the relationship between mean CCT, age and gender were studied.Results: 706 eyes of 353 participants were examined. 52.7% of the subjects were females while 47.3% were males. The mean age of participants was 50.29 ± 16.58 years. The mean central corneal thickness (CCT) for RE was 527.68 ± 36.88μm (95% CI: 523.83 –531.55μm) and 527.45 ± 38.01μm for LE (95% CI: 523.47 – 531.43μm). There was a decrease in CCT values with increasing age (p= 0.016, p= 0.05 for RE and left eyes respectively). Males had a significantly higher CCT compared to females for both right and left eyes (p=0.004, p=0.007).Conclusion: Central corneal thickness values in the Igbo ethnic population of Southeast Nigeria, an ethnic group with the reported highest prevalence of glaucoma in Nigeria from our study is thinner than those reported from other regions both within Nigeria as well as some Sub-Saharan populations, Caucasians, Asians, and Hispanics but it is however comparable with values reported among Cameroonians and African Americans. CCT among Nigerian Igbos, seems to decrease with age and appears thicker in males compared with females.